Snake Eyes
by Badgerkatch
Summary: The child of snakes and nightmares, Orochimaru as but a boy journeys through the madness that leads him to evil...
1. Chapter 1 The New Kid

Snake Eyes

Hello I'm Badger Nin…I suppose you could just call me badger or something I dunno anywho…I believe this will be my first story every to post here . I hope that's not so strange, anyway this is a Naruto fan fiction Oo oh my sooo original… but guess what? This isn't about Naruto at ALL! Orochimaru, one of the freakiest characters ever to be made in anime returns here and we go back in the past to when he was still a cute and very creepy little kid and the stuff he faced then.

You will meet Tsunade and Jiraiya again as well as some people we all know as adults as very cute and feisty little kids…oh fun fun fun!

There will be laughing, crying, blood letting and a whole lot of sugar involved so let's start this thing already!

Ch.1

The new kid

"Heeeey Tsunadeeee" a voice whispered from the window "time to get up" a knock sounded and yet, no answer, "Tsunade! "A frowning face appeared upside down in the fog covered window "WAKE THE HELL UP! You're going to be late for the orientation!"

"heh" the boy laughed loudly as a freaked out squawk sounded from her bed and the window was violently thrown open revealing a wide eyed blonde girl still in her bamboo print pajamas and sporting a rather bad case of bed head "Say WHAT?" she shrieked as she looked out blinking at the fuming boy outside, a large lump already forming on his forehead.

He crossed his arms and then rubbed his shiny forehead protector trying to look disinterested whilst his face was turning red " oh nothing, just that the orientation is going to begin without you that's all ….oh and one more thing…" he winked and then laughed as he ran off" nice outfit, I like"

Her face burned as she looked down and realized her shirt had been totally open "why you….IM GONNA KILL YOU JIRAIYA!"

The door slid open and a wall of noise swept over the two as Tsunade shoved a miserable looking Jiraiya inside the class room, two large lumps coming out of his spiky white hair and Tsunade still red faced but now wearing something a little more decent (but only a little more).

Tsunade huffed as she looked over the class "ung…all the usual rats" she sighed, looking the class over "the pervert, the shy one, the fatty…." Then she stopped as her eyes met suddenly with some very VERRY creepy golden eyes from across the class.

She blanched and turned pretending that she hadn't seen it but secretly eyeing the person as "it" had turned attention elsewhere " huh?" she thought as she smoothed her blonde hair pretending to be interested in making it shinier " a new kid? So strange…but interesting "she smirked "how fun…fresh meat"

The boy (so she figured out later) was sitting away from all the others, not participating in the daily mingling or speaking to anyone, just sitting at a far window seat absentmindedly staring at something between his hands which as she noticed as she crept closer was the same shade as his face and every other piece of skin that was available to her eyes, a pasty shade of white. She blinked so consumed in looking at this oddity that before she blinked noticed that he had moved with an almost liquid inhuman movement from where he had been sitting to right next to her, and those golden eyes of his were very and uncomfortably close to her own, his lips curving into a cold grin followed up by a crushed velvet like voice that stole into her ears and forced her to listen (as if she could have moved at all)

"I'm sorry to say but I don't like being spied upon much and especially by someone as green as you miss blonde "

her eyes widened and for what seemed like eternity she stared into those sharp golden eyes until he blinked and she was released, stepping back a bead of sweat dripping down her cheek

" w-what the hell did you just do? A-and who are you?" she stammered shakily trying to figure out what type of genjitsu he must have used on her, the head girl in the whole entire class.

The boy laughed rather unpleasantly sat down again and cast a bored glance across the filled up class room, as if the others he considered to be nothing more than ants and then turned his attention back to her, flipping his long silky black hair back behind his shoulder, making Tsunade very jealous and self conscious at the same time.

"You must be mistaken "he whispered "I did nothing...and as for who I am…" he looked out the window at the falling leaves outside, autumn coming early this year the green of the leaves turning golden brown "Orochimaru…just Orochimaru "then with a rather dismissing gesture of his hand he turned his attention back to what he had cupped in his hands. A bright black and red banded hissing snake which coiled around his wrist as he stroked its scales lovingly

"Say hi to snaky…"he grinned as the girl hastily retreated at the sight of the serpent and again he was left alone.

He didn't like these things at all, too much noise, to many idiots making it…he sighed and then reluctantly let the serpent slide from his hands outside by a crack in the windowsill as an instructor strode inside and stood upon the podium in the front of the class, harrumphing to get every ones full and complete attention…like he would get it, he narrowed his golden eyes and sat up waiting patiently for this to be all over, he wanted to find Hyuuga Hizashi afterwards so he could inquire about his eyes which were a very amusing white compared to his own, he wondered silently what they did.

" I will now read off the list of three man teams that have been selected for your missions" the instructor yelled, followed closely by a series of loud moans from the class " ahem! " the instructor flipped the page, looking over the rims of his black glasses and trying to scratch his head which was covered by a rumpled looking bandanna. " but before we do that, I'm sure some of you have noticed your new class mate and partner, um um " he flipped through the pages of names until he apparently found what he was looking for " Orochimaru Ka-Ka…" he blinked and then motioned Orochimaru to rise " what is your last na-" the instructor promptly stopped here as he felt a cold shiver run down his spine at the boys narrowed eyes, his soft voice carrying across the class all the way from the back " I have no last name…it is Orochimaru if you please…" he looked at the others which obligingly blinked back and then sat himself down again as the instructor still rather pale coughed and continued his reading " well then…Orochimaru it is um now to other matters…TEAMS! " he bellowed

Names went by his ears and though he didn't seem to be paying much attention to anything except count of the kunai in his pouch he noted mentally each of their names until finally his own name was mentioned and he slowly looked up "yes?"

The instructor narrowed his eyes and adjusted his glasses, making sure not to look him directly in the eyes…Orochimaru smiled…smart man. Orochimaru you will be teamed up with number 14 Jiraiya and number 23 Tsunade, a spiky haired boy sitting in the middle row choked on whatever he had been munching on and the blonde he had been amusing himself with earlier nearly fell out of her seat, he smiled.

" Is that clear?" he blinked, smiled eerily and stood up in one liquid movement showing he was rather good at this " crystal " he hissed and walked out of the room leaving his new team mates to their own designs to go eat lunch.

He lounged full length upon a high up twisted tree limb of a cherry tree and nibbled on the rice ball in his hand, his nose wrinkling a bit as he found the pickled plum in the center and then silently swallowing it and stuffing the rest of it in his mouth before he wiped his simple black pants and vest of rice and picking more of them out of the fish net around his throat and stomach and then was about to start on a large egg roll when he heard a annoyed screech a little ways from his perch and the egg roll in question stopped at his lips as he looked down to find the source of the noise stomping directly under him but not noticing him at all.

This is…"he smiled and set the egg roll back in his bento box next to him and narrowed his eyes " Tsunade" he whispered as the feisty blonde ranted and raved to the other of his team mates, the white haired one…Jiraiya if he remembered correctly, his eyes followed the two to a bench under him where the girl angrily sat herself and glared at her partner who ducked as if expecting something " its bad ENOUGH that I have YOU on my team but WHY did I have to get that…that snake eyed FREAK on my team as well? Ung…I'm in HELL!"

Orochimaru winced slightly and his long black hair fell in front of his pale face as he listened.

"Why couldn't I have gotten someone like…like the Ino boy or someone else…even Akimetchi…but really…I don't know what it is about that…what was his name again?"

Jiraiya scratched his head and smiled, apparently happy to have her on his team but trying not to look it "I think it was Orochimaru, geez that's a long name" he scratched his head and grinned "what's WITH you people and long names? "

He was shut up immediately by a snarling from Tsunade.

"He is the creepiest! Not only the eyes but the way he moves and…did you SEE his skin? It's as white as our paper! I swear he's some sort of monster!"

Orochimaru was silent, slowly taking all of this in

" so" a cold note seeping in to his voice as it rose making his presence known to the startled two bellow him " a snake eyed freak am I? …a monster am I? "his voice rose with him as one shaking hand removed a kunai from the pouch, his eyes burning with hate " then I will show you what a monster like me can do" he hissed as he leaped from the limb, twisting as he met the ground and grabbing Tsunade as she started and raised her fists and brought the kunai to her throat" take it back!" he hissed into her ear and then directed his cold eyes at the boy frozen before them but a deep rage stamped upon his face " let her go Orochimaru…" he swiftly removed three shirikan from his own weapon pouch and stepped forward but was stopped as Orochimaru pressed the tip of the knife into Tsunade's flesh and sneering as a bright red drop of blood dripped down and the splotch of red painted his white skin " im not joking "

Tsunade had gone almost as white as Orochimaru himself, he smiled coyly coming out of his simple rage to notice something this small meant he had already recovered his cool and began to calculate this

"So…your afraid of this aren't you blonde? "He whispered dripping her own blood near her face dropping the kunai "you are afraid of blood? What a silly- "

He suddenly stopped as Jiraiya threw the shurikan when Tsunade dropped to the ground having been released.

He twisted around so to avoid them and lost a strand of his hair as they thunked into the wood of the tree behind him "very good but not good enough "he ran sideways as the boy scrambled for more knives and began to make seals and smiled bringing his bloody fingers to his lips as the boy threw his shurikan at him "no good, its about to get hot"

And then something happened, even faster than his eyes could follow, a man appeared between them, deftly catching all of the thrown Shurikan upon the fingers of his left hand and with a lightening movement catching his fingers in a crushing grip and standing.

"I do hope that this was just practice boys" the man glared down at the two boys glaring at each other from each side of the man " because any more and you could have seriously harmed one another…" he looked down at Orochimaru, blinked and then opened his right hand enough to let the boys hands go " the seal of the tiger" the man muttered "defiantly NOT something to be used on your team mate…I don't know what you were taught growing up but here in Konoha we don't harm our team mates" he dropped the shurikan in Jiraiya's open hands and frowned at him as well " neither are these wooden toys anymore Jiraiya…I thought I taught you that" the man stepped forward and bended over and hefting the slowly recovering Tsunade from the ground " mmm I should probably send you to the infirmary, that scratch could get infected…and with your phobia of blood…it will take you a while…" with one last look at Orochimaru and then at Jiraiya he scooped up Tsunade's small form and walked back to the entrance hall leaving the boys standing wide eyed at each other and then each of them slowly relaxing though still living on strained nerves.

Jiraiya was the one who broke the silence first and through clenched teeth he spoke "uh, I'm sorry about that…I know you probably got upset about what Tsunade said right? Eheh…she kinda gets like that…I guess you get used to it after a while…shoulda heard the stuff she called me…and yeah well I kinda get protective over her when she gets like that…"

He went silent and made as if putting away his weapons was an important task as he waited for Orochimaru to speak and after a minute he did.

" well" his barbed voice hissed " If you want to protect her I suggest you figure out how to curb that tongue of hers or else I shall be forced to try and cut it out " he smiled at Jirya's scared face " I'm just kidding " he grinned rather amused with himself as Jiraiya blanched " I think I can deal with both of you for team mates for a while" he crooned as he walked after the strange man who had walked off with that little brat named Tsunade and made his way to the entrance hall as a small bell sounded for the choosing of instructors for the teams.

"Yes" Orochimaru thought darkly "he would have to deal with worse than these two if he was to forget his past and make sure the future he had dreamed up became reality…

And he would kill for it.


	2. Chapter 2 The Third

Ch.2

The Third

Orochimaru walked into the empty class room and slid the door closed behind him walking to the window seat he had been at before lunch and sat himself down comfortably in a beam of sunlight resting his head on one hand, his eyes half closed as if he were enjoying himself.

He waited for a while and then watched as the silence was broken as a frizzy haired Jiraiya came thundering in and then immediately spotted him before calming down and blinking " um…your early…do you know where Tsunade is? Sarutobi took her to the infirmary right?" he looked at Orochimaru who rolled his eyes and shrugged "I do not know…I only recently came to Konoha...I don't know where the infirmary is…" He blinked slowly "Sarutobi…was the man who stopped our fight then?" the question rolled off his tongue and he hissed the "S" on his name as if tasting it.

Jiraiya stood bug eyed and then burst out laughing, rolling on the ground "whaaaaaat? You mean you don't know who SONDAIME is?." He fell under another burst of laughter which by Orochimaru's facial expression was getting annoying.

Orochimaru hissed again "well….as I said I am new…care filling me in since it seems so amusing to you?"

Jiraiya took one deep breath and then was about to cough up the name when the door slid open and a evil eyed Tsunade stomped in smacked Jiraiya upside the head and then gave him the darkest glare she possibly could "im back…" she muttered and then took her seat as faaar away from Orochimaru as possible which wasn't too far considering, and then after a minute of waiting a man stepped in…

Tsunade's face suddenly did a 360 and she was suddenly happy again "oh Third! "She smiled and Orochimaru went (if possible) paler…so this…was the great third Hokage...Sarutobi. He was concentrating so much that he had no time to dodge Jiraiya's well aimed smack on the back and winced just slightly, not daring to look away from the dark brown eyes of the third Hokage.

Jirya grinned and managed to urge a sarcastic smile from Orochimaru's lips and who turned back to the attention of a cross armed Sarutobi who coughed and spoke "well, well, isn't it MY lucky day "he beamed "that I happen to have YOU three as my students…" then suddenly his eyes darken and he put his hands on his hands on his hips "I think I'm going to enjoy teaching you three to be ninjas.

Tsunade gawked and then flared "what do you mean "YOU THREE?" I didn't do any- "she stopped as she caught an amused look from Sarutobi.

"Eh" she went red faced and then looked down absentmindedly tugging her V necked shirt a little closer to her chest as if she had caught a chill.

He was just about to say something else when a small wide eyed boy with a shock of silver hair ran up and tugged on Sarutobi's shirt causing all three of the team to wonder and caused the third to smile, kneel down and ruffle the boys hair "well hello Kakashi…I'm a bit busy at the moment… what do you need?."

The boy was silent for a minute and looked at the three genins before him and slightly flinched away when he saw Orochimaru's calculating eyes before turning his attention back to the third, standing on the tip of his tippy toes and whispering something in his ear.

"Mm hmmn, yes…well is that so?"

"Will you go and find that boy Asuma and tell him that I need to see him about something please?" the boy nodded silently and held out his hands. Sarutobi smiled and stood up, fishing around in a pouch on his hip until he found a small scroll of paper and a brightly wrapped sweet and placed it in the little kids hands. "Now" he said standing before the kid who now that Orochimaru looked hard enough was little older than himself…just very short. He smiled.

Sarutobi saw the kid named Kakashi out of the class room and stood the three of them to attention again, also bringing forth a stool and sitting upon it. " Well Then" he looked separately at all three of them and smiled " I want each of you to introduce yourselves, what you like, dislike,…your goals in life…anything really."

This was an amusing question apparently because Tsunade choked and Jiraiya burst out laughing and raising his hand demanding to be first. Orochimaru just stared at them both as if they were a couple noodles short of a ramen bowl.

The third sighed and motioned to Tsunade "well since you're the only girl, .you go first." Tsunade groaned and shrugged

"Kanzaki Tsunade…what I like…gambling" she looked up just in time to see Sarutobi frown, ouch.

She started again after a pause " what I dislike…" she shrugged her shoulders " when I loose a game, people that don't understand me and…perverts " she hissed glaring daggers at Jiraiya who blushed and laughed " And " she muttered " I wish to be the worlds greatest gambler!." This coaxed a smile to her lips.

Sarutobi looked slightly amused. "Ok ok next"

Jirya smiled " Niho Jiraiya…what I like…peeping on the girls bath " now THIS got a good frown out of the third and Jiraiya just talked more to drown his comment " um and polishing my weapons oh and getting Mr. Nara to show me his shadow capture technique!"

He smiled all proud of himself as well.

He grinned wider "and my goal is to be an author someday!"

The others blinked and Sarutobi just laughed.

And last but not least…"

Orochimaru looked up. My name is Orochimaru…" he smiled.

The others looked at him expectantly and he said nothing at first and then smiled yet again with that creepy cold smile he had grown so used to. " My name is Orochimaru " he repeated to the Third looking him directly in the eyes but despite how hard he stared at the old man he did not falter so he gave up and simply spoke his piece " I have no last name…I like to learn and study and I dislike cold and people who know too much."

Tsunade blanched.

Then he paused and looked down at his hands, almost the exact same way he had been when Tsunade had first glimpsed him, but this time he didn't have a giant slithering serpent in them and then looked up again, speaking as if in a daze "I have no goal."

Jiraiya tried to find something funny about any part of that and the Third simply nodded and got up at ease "well now I know your names and some stuff about you…but I would like to know more and will because I will be your group leader and we will complete missions and such….after we test you of course "he turned and smiled at the blank faced three.

"TEST?" they all chorused together

Yes he said again smiling but for some unknown reason…his eyes weren't smiling with him.

Actually "he pondered "it's more of….Survival training…

"**SURVIVAL** TRAINING?"

Tsunade made a face, Jiraiya soon topped her face and Orochimaru just looked amused.

He ushered them out of the class room and went out into the field just beyond the school and looked at the three, the high tempered Tsunade, the Joker Jiraiya and the…well he didn't know what to make of Orochimaru but as he had stared at the boy in the class room he knew that throughout the introductions he had been dealing with a high level Genjitsu, and illusionary technique that had been directed at him…this boy wasn't ordinary and everybody knew it.

Orochimaru followed him out and looked down as he stood in front of them with a suddenly stony face, serious…now of course by now he knew that his eyes had no effect on him which was new for him who was always using intimidation to win rather than actually fighting, not to say he didn't like fighting, no far from it.

He looked up again as Sarutobi said " Survival training " this sounded rather interested so he lended the old man (who was really only something like 35…old to the little Oro) his full attention.

"Yes, Survival training…it will begin at the great gate at 6 am sharp…and oh guys "

Those who had began to wander off already looked back and caught a nasty chill at the sight of Sarutobi's serious face.

"Don't eat breakfast…you'll throw up" he smiled and then waved turning from a white faced Tsunade and bug eyed Jiraiya and a relatively concerned Orochimaru.

" No no no, this is different than what I had been told when I was….younger…very well I shall comply to this Survival training…even if I have to deal with that brat and the air head…

To get what I want….I will have it." He hissed slightly and walked back through a side gate to the far side of Konoha where he vanished until the next day a cold wind blowing away his footsteps.

The cold grey of dawn touched the great gate of Konoha and a sleepy Tsunade and Jiraiya covered their faces whilst a dreamy looking Orochimaru stood on the appropriated spot waiting for the Third.

True, he had not eaten breakfast, neither of them had just to make sure but Orochimaru seemed unperturbed by it while the other two groaned as their stomachs growled.

"Arg, I can't STAND it!" Tsunade fussed, "I didn't even eat last NIGHT!" Orochimaru smirked "well now whose fault is that?"

Jirya glowered at both of them "c'mon, here comes the Third."

Sarutobi walked out of the gate and smiled as usual at his dour faced students "well now….Survival training begins NOW"

He barked as his right hand flew to the weapon pouch on his waist.

The three were instantly alert and very suspicious.

"Hey" murmured Tsunade as the third slowly brought forth something from the pouch "by Survival Training to you think he means defend ourselves against HIM?" she moved closer to Jirya and Orochimaru just narrowed his eyes to make sure he was able to see just what the old man was doing so he would have time to counter attack…no point in letting your guard down.

They waited a few seconds the tension tight in the air and then slowly the third brought forth two bright little silver bells from the pouch and looked at the three "well its nice to see you are already on your toes…good….you'll need that for taking these from me" he jingled the bells and the three students looked at him as if he were nuts.

"I want you to come at me with the intent to kill, do you understand?"

Tsunade arched one brow and then raised her hand "um…but wouldn't that put you in danger sensei?"

Jiraiya nodded and Orochimaru just watched silently not making any decisions right now.

" Well " he grinned " against you three I don't think ill need to do much but c'mon , you've only got till noon to get these bells from me or else…" he looked down at them " you get no lunch " he pointed to a stack of bento boxes at a black rock in the center of the clearing.

The three children simultaneously stood slack jawed "you mean…." Tsunade growled, and not only with her mouth "that the reason we didn't eat was because of THIS? AAAAH!" she threw a tantrum and Jiraiya just complained.

Orochimaru glowered at the third his golden eyes darkening "well…ill just get one then"

Then he stopped and looked back at Sarutobi "Sensei…why is their only two bells?...and three of us?"

" WELL, im glad someone was paying attention to that " he smiled " that just means that whatever you do ONE of you will be tied to that post over there with no lunch "

Orochimaru blinked and Jiraiya made a face.

"NOW" barked the third "Hajime!" and the three genins were gone.

Sarutobi stood in the middle of the clearing looking rather bored, however keeping one eye on the field. "Good" he muttered as she stood twirling a kunai on one finger "they have all hidden themselves well…" he looked around.

Tsunade had perched herself in a tree and was looking down at him trying to find an opening, Jiraiya was hidden underneath a bush and was taking out some shurikan (his favorite) and Orochimaru…

Sarutobi blinked and turned his head "nowhere in sight eh?"

He pulled on his beard "this was going to be rather interesting after all."

Orochimaru flew through the tree tops and stopped until he was on the top of a high tree he had spotted while coming to the area, hid himself with the tree's leaves and looked down, the wind tousling his hair, "hmmn…the others must have gone in earlier than expected "he searched around until he spotted Tsunade in a tree a few yards away but Jiraiya had apparently moved in. He snorted and dropped from the tree slinking in to the shadows and surprising Tsunade a bit by appearing on the tree next to her own.

"Tsunade" he whispered grinning, apparently having fun at the expense of scaring her near to death.

She frowned "well hardy har har to you to" She gasped as Jiraiya suddenly erupted from the bushes having thought he heard her say "go "and charged straight for a still bored looking Sarutobi.

Both her and Orochimaru looked at each other and then with a hesitant nod they zig zaged from their trees and moved closer to help Jiraiya if possible. "This is not good" Orochimaru hissed to himself as he sped forward "The fool has already given away his position, this could cause death on a real battlefield…Tsunade at least has brains compared to that little toad but I will deal with Sarutobi…" he narrowed his eyes as he struck out his arm and caught a branch, flipping himself on it to watch the proceedings "He has become my Prey" he frowned and then removed three kunai from his pouch.

Orochimaru had almost laughed when Sarutobi had mentioned that to get one of the bells that were hanging from his waist he would have to come at him with the "intention to kill"

"That "he murmured "will be no problem whatsoever".

Tsunade had watched Orochimaru ever since he had unceremoniously dropped in on her and nearly scared her out of her tree, she really didn't trust the snake boy at all but he was strong and she could feel it in the air, she herself had a mad strength and used it often which scared the boys but this wasn't her kind of strength, his…it was a very eerie strength. "Orochimaru"

He turned slowly and eyed her, as if she had broken him from a day dream, she pointed "Jiraiya has already attacked him, they moved past the stream…I can hear them from here "

Orochimaru shrugged "I don't know how we are supposed to get the bells before noon then…the stupid toad already ruined it "he muttered.

Tsunade's eyes widened and with a growl she slammed her fist into the tree breaking a massive hole into the heart, causing Orochimaru to raise one eyebrow and one of his kunai's.

Now he knew what the others meant when they mentioned her "Monstrous Muscles."

" Oh " he sighed as he ran forward spotting Sarutobi from afar dealing with a red faced Jiraiya who was worse for wear with his hair soaking wet, mud on his cloths and no weapons left.

Tsunade followed him and leaped under a bush pulling off a winning hiss to match his own "as much as I don't like it we have to work together to get those bells from him…I know I cant do it by myself, I've watched him "she sighed as Sarutobi used a replacement and came up from the ground startling the cheeky boy and putting him neck deep in the mud.

"Oy oy" Sarutobi chuckled "I said you can't get past me" he squatted down and poked Jirya's wet hair "but this really interested me you little porcupine…you'll have to tell me where you learned it "

Orochimaru and Tsunade blinked " an opening! " the hissing of Kunai's split the air and caused Jiraiya to yell as six of the knives buried themselves in the old mans chest.

Jiraiya spazzed out and looked up as Tsunade dropped from above, yanked him out of the ground and watched the body of the third turn into a harmless log. " Shit " she looked around and slowly glanced over and found that Jiraiya had vanished" keep watch…grrr" above, bellow…sides, Tsunade looked frantically around keeping her fists up, she didn't like weapons as much as she liked Taijitsu so she would have to rely on it as her trump card to win.

"Tsunade, on the right!"

She dropped to a crouch and looked up catching Sarutobi coming from above, she smirked " my turn Sensei!" she ran forward, doggedly pursuing him with rounds of fast punches and kicks which he had little time to do anything else but block and be pushed back.

Good she murmured as Orochimaru came in from behind and forced Sarutobi to turn and fight him as well, and as he turned the bells on his waist jingled…her chance! She lunged for a bell and was suddenly bowled over as Sarutobi sensing the danger flung Orochimaru over his shoulder and into her causing her dive to go lower and grab his ankles as Orochimaru vanished, a bunshin.

She groaned "still good, I've got him and this isn't a bunshin, she looked up as Sarutobi was about to use a replacement shouted

"OROCHIMARU! NOW!"

The boy appeared out of the trees above and forced the Third to tip backwards and now that Tsunade had his ankles in her inhuman grip fall over.

Tsunade let go and snatched a bell off his waist as he rolled over,

"HAHA" she laughed, "Ive got one!" and in all her happiness was put under a quick genjitsu and was immediately bowled over.

Sarutobi nodded a little amused and picked up the bell from the girls open hand, she had always been weak against those… then with a sigh he turned on a glowering Orochimaru.

"Well…what are you going to do now that your team mate is at my mercy mmm?"

Orochimaru shrugged and then ran forward hissing "Im not like them" and attacked.

Jiraiya sat and pouted on the side watching the fight proceeding, kind of worried for Tsunade who was now lying crumbled on the ground like a rag doll and at Orochimaru who was now giving the Third his moneys worth.

Jiraiya sighed deeply and then began walking back seeing as if Tsunade and Orochimaru couldn't beat him then there was absolutely no point in…his stomach rumbled and he groaned "geez, I _Really _need some food" and then he spotted the black stone marker where they had first started and his eyes widened at the three stacked bento boxes and then they narrowed.

"Heh!" he grinned for being so clever and happily skipped over and sat himself down on the spot, clapping his hands together " I wont HAVE to get a bell…hey I'm a ninja right? You've got to find other ways of doing things"

"Ikadekimaaaasu, time to eat!"

A rustle came from above and a deep voice dropped down on him "is that sooooo?"

Jiraiya grinned and turned white "That…was a joke…"

Sarutobi grinned "too late."

Orochimaru cursed the third with all the energy he had left, he had surprised the man by performing a phoenix fire….only to find himself seconds later stuck neck deep in the mud as Jiraiya had and then had to watch Sarutobi walk away to go attend " other matters."

The bell rang for noon and Orochimaru hissed and waited soon staring at Tsunade who was laying a few feet away and he sighed "Tsunade…wake up or the snakes will get you."


	3. Chapter 3 Team Work

Ch.3

Team work

After a while Orochimaru freed himself and knelt beside Tsunade staring for a minute before shaking his head and then placing two fingers upon her cold forehead he whispered the releasing seal "Kai!"

Tsunade's eyes flickered open and then she sat up, grabbing his shirt with both her hands and growling "where are the snakes?"

Orochimaru raised one eyebrow and set one of his pale hands upon hers, loosening her grip a little "there are no snakes here Tsunade…you were spelled by the thirds genjitsu "

Tsunade was silent for a minute and then sighed and released him and stood up brushing her cloths off of the dirt and picking leaves out of her hair, she looked over her shoulder "he had helped her…

It was true…there were no snakes in Konoha…only him.

A touch on her other shoulder made her flinch as she turned a little and looked into his deep golden eyes " we should get going back now…we cannot get a bell, it is past twelve " he sighed, shielded his eyes and looked up at the sun...a rainbow halo around the golden light…he smiled slowly and stood there a minute, as if he were basking in the sun and then he again slowly began walking back to the black rock marker where surly Sarutobi and perhaps the little toad Jiraiya would be waiting.

" Well!" exclaimed Sarutobi as he spotted the two jump from the tree tops above and land near the rock where Sarutobi sat eating an onigiri and teasing a very unhappy looking Jiraiya who was tied to one of three poles that had been driven in to the ground.

Orochimaru sneered and Tsunade began to laugh " well that's what happens to cheaters!" she began laughing again only to be interrupted by the roar of her stomach, Orochimaru looked strangely at her and then suddenly realized that he too was hungry.

Sarutobi motioned to the two remaining bento boxes and smiled "all yours" the two sighed happily and Jiraiya screeched "what about me?"

As the two sat down to eat at the rock each on the other side of the tied up Jiraiya, Sarutobi got up from his seat and stood in front of them, " you did surprisingly well for a first time…I'm proud of you…but as for you " he glanced over at Jiraiya who shrunk as far against the wooden stave he was tied to as possible " you went in without thinking of team work at all and then you tried to see a way around it instead of trying to get the bells with the other two you gave up." Jiraiya looked as if he had just swallowed some very bitter tea.

Sarutobi turned " when you have finished eating ill come back to get you…however " he turned " you two are not to feed Jiraiya or else…you will not pass this test and remain genins"

Tsunade nearly choked and Jiraiya looked as if he had never felt lower.

Orochimaru said nothing, did nothing, just stared and then continued eating.

When Sarutobi had left, Jiraiya, his head hung glanced at Tsunade "don't worry, I don't need food, really I'm-"his stomach grumbled "ok ok I'm not fine…"

Orochimaru sighed, the first noise that had come out of him in a while and setting his chopsticks down he offered the rest of his lunch to Jiraiya who stared open mouthed at him " are you serious…you heard what he said didn't you?" Tsunade waited a moment and then sighed and offered her own as well "as much as I don't like you "Jiraiya hung his head again "we need you on the team…we cant let you go hungry as well…and you were helping whether sensei knew it or not.." she hissed "Now hurry up and eat it before he comes back or were all in deep trouble"

"I think" Orochimaru smiled "that he needs you to feed it to him…"

Tsunade made an "Oh my god you cant be serious "face and then shaking, she picked up her chopsticks and glowered at Jiraiya "NEVER again will I do this for you…understand?" Jiraiya grinned from ear to ear "of course.

Orochimaru finished his lunch and was watching as Tsunade fed Jirya when the air suddenly changed and out of nowhere Sondaime appeared, his face a print of fury "in front of me you disobey MY rules?" seals flew by as his hands moved, the three genins with terrified looks on their faces plastered against the three wooden staves watched and waited for something terrible to happen.

"ARE YOU READY TO RECEIVE YOUR PUNISHMENT?"

Jiraiya was the first to speak out kicking his legs in frustration " B-but they were helping me! I couldn't have fought with an empty stomach! "

"Yeah!" Tsunade stood up, her fists ready in front of her "we are a three man team and nothing can break us if we work together!"

Orochimaru just stood and smirked

Jiraiya looked at both of them and bellowed "yes yes yes! We are a three man team!"

Sarutobi paused for a minute and then smiled "is that so?"

Well…then accept your fate "the three looked at him confused as he bent down and made a peace sign "you pass."

"HUUUUUH?"

Now it was Orochimaru's time to gape along with the others

"We passed?" he whispered "but we didn't get a bell…"

Sondaime hopped from the top of the black rock and rested his hand lovingly on it "to be a ninja you need to work with another, team work…this is the answer…without it things would just break apart, you have learned the answer for yourselves" he slowly walked over and cut Jiraiya free and then turned around "your missions start tomorrow."

Orochimaru smiled a sharp fanged smile and then following behind his exited team mates he took the time to again look upon the sun in the sky, still the rainbow halo shone around the sun.

"Snake weather" he whispered to himself and then continued walking back to the village where he was sure more surprises and people of Konoha would reveal themselves to him.

Having been left alone after Sondaime had released them from their duties for the day Orochimaru sighed and brought forth a book he was reading over called " the great book of Jitsu " by the Forth…he thought it amusing but it DID have some tips in it and as much as he hated to do so referred to it often.

He was so intent upon the book that he nearly bumped in to a boy walking the other way…he snapped the book shut and narrowed

his eyes to see who could have gotten in his way and was mildly taken back as his golden eyes stared into dark red ones marked with two strange dots. The boy stepped back and looked at him strangely and then slowly nodded his head "I apologize for startling you, I cannot see properly…the sunlight got in my eyes " he smiled an odd smile and Orochimaru smiled strangely back, this boy standing near as tall as himself had as he noticed before dark red eyes and long black hair tied behind him in a loose pony tail, he wore simple black cloths with the symbol of a fan on the front and a small pack at his side. " my name is Orochimaru, and you are?"

The boy rubbed his eyes which went back to a straight black and then he looked back up at Orochimaru " I am Uchiha Itachi…pleased to meet you, but now I must be going…" he walked past Orochimaru and as they passed one another the tension between the two cracked like a whip " we will meet again then " chuckled Orochimaru as he watched the boy passing…and then suddenly remembering that he had to be somewhere as well he flickered his jitsu and vanished from the spot, still thinking about the odd boy he had bumped in to.

"Uchiha Itachi huh?"

He shoved the book inside the fold of his shirt and sighed sneering as

He appeared on the roof of a hovel on the outskirts of the dead woods "curious…ill have to ask him next time." he murmured as he walked into the small hut "how he does that with his eyes."

Orochimaru took off his shirt and dropped it on the chair next to his bed, set his weapon pouch after it and then flopped down on his bed, his arm shielding his eyes in thought. " Tomorrow morning…eh?" he took a deep breath the muscles on his chest rippling strangely and rolled over his hair spilling over his shoulder as he nestled into the pillow and closing his eyes, looking for all the world just like an innocent (but still strange) sleeping child. And so he slept.

A beam of sunlight warmed his shoulders and then as the dun came up in the sky it lengthened hitting the back of his eyelids and causing him to groan and open one eye, the gold reflecting in the sunlight and making it molten amber. He got up and got dressed; eating a simple bowl of rice and leftover fish and then remembering to wash his hair in the sink and dry it he stepped outside to his first mission of being a Konoha ninja.

After meeting up with a fussy Tsunade and a giggling Jiraiya he found himself standing with Sarutobi and the others in front of a stern looking young man with a mess of spiky blonde hair and deep blue eyes. "So this" murmured Orochimaru with a slight sneer "was the fourth Hokage…how curious that Sarutobi would have picked such a…"kid" as the fourth, but he shrugged it off, Hokage were a mere source for more knowledge and nothing else, and it was slightly annoying to him after all that he had studied the Hokage were always the ones with the answers he sought, he cursed them.

He stood staring at the Fourth for a long time, waiting for him the blonde man to say something so he could set upon him, apparently as had happened with Sarutobi his eyes weren't working on him. Tsunade looked strangely at him and then realizing who he was bowed and then forced the stupefied Jiraiya into a bow as well.

Orochimaru just stood and narrowed his eyes "so, what is our mission?"

The Fourth raised one eyebrow and then smiled "and you must be Orochimaru…Sarutobi has told me much about you..."

Orochimaru sneered "all bad I suppose "the Fourth looked at him hard "not at all…" Sarutobi looked at the Fourth and sighed "Im sorry Yondaime…he really is a wonderful student"

The one called Yondaime smiled and brought forth a scroll from his robes " im sure he is Sarutobi…im sure he is…oh and this is your mission team…it is a rank C mission…you think you can take it?"

He smiled again and Orochimaru frowned and snatched it from Yondaime's open hand turning on his heel "with pleasure..." and walked off.

"Geez!" exclaimed a red faced Tsunade, crossing her arms and sighing "that guy sure is strange…I don't know whether to trust him or to kill him." Jiraiya looked at her and then shrugged "blah, I don't know…he's smart, he's strong and he keeps to himself…even though he may not be as…sexy as me he's ok "he grinned and got a nice big lump on his head.

Orochimaru sat upon a bench outside the Hokage's office and unceremoniously ripped the wax seal from the scroll and un-rolled it reading the mission he had been given, "protect a train of travelers through snake…snake…" he hissed as he hurriedly read the rest and then shoved the scroll away from him as if it has suddenly turned poisonous "why" he hissed, his hands covering his face "why Snake Mountain?"

Sarutobi watched the boy flinch away from the scroll after reading it and sighed " what type of mission would scare this boy so much?" he moved slightly and then halted when a kunai thunked in to the tree he was hiding behind, just inches from his face.

"Come out Sarutobi Sensei…I know its you" Sarutobi sighed and stepped out walking to the boy and sitting opposite him on the bench " so" he murmured to the dark looking boy who was studying him with those eyes of his " what is the mission?"

The boy made no facial expression but inside his soul shrank away "nothing important…lets go."

The four of them had packed their bags with all the essentials and had left in the early morning so that they would at least get to Snake mountain by night fall to meet a certain man they were supposed to protect who had apparently survived some sort of massacre and needed to get to a certain destination without commoners attacking him for mistaking him as the enemy.

As they moved on through the forest which was as Sarutobi had said it " a hell of a shortcut " Tsunade was often ranting at Jiraiya for making stupid faces and trying to lighten up the atmosphere, which was rapidly freezing thanks to a dark and gloomily serious Orochimaru who apparently had his mind on other things.

They got there as promised by nightfall and stood at a cracked tree in the middle of a clearing in the mountains south face, Orochimaru sat on a rock and breathed rather strangely as if he were having a hard time of it. A rustle came from the bushes and nearly everyone drew a weapon out of their pouch which rapidly was lowered when a disheveled and wary looking man crawled out of them and came up to them as the team stood.

Sarutobi walked up and met the man "are you Tokiru san?" the man nodded and looked at Tsunade and Jiraiya and looked back at Sarutobi " this is your team?" he asked and then Sarutobi looked back and sighed " no ones over there…Orochimaru " he huffed as the boy slid out of the shadows as if that was his living element and regarded the man with a cold serenity " I will protect you in any way you can " and as he spoke a sneer seeped into his voice and the man shrank away his face almost as white as Orochimaru's own.

"You are…"he whispered and then looked at Sarutobi as if speaking danger to him without opening his mouth and then motioning down the mountain path "I need to go that way…just…protect me…and do NOT stab me in the back…" he whispered and started walking down the path "there was an old village that was massacred and burned to the ground…we should be able to find some shelter there at least…since the locals wont come anywhere near it now."


	4. Chapter 4 Snakes Remembered

Ch.4

Snakes Remembered

They soon came to the village that the man named Tokiru had mentioned and it was true that it was a mess and a ghost town with an atmosphere to match that made the three very chilly and filled with a strange and frightful feeling, Sarutobi placed a hand upon Tokiru's shoulder as he had began to shake and as the only calm one in the party, it helped a lot. The man sighed and sat down as they unpacked some supplies and sat inside the burned out shell of an earthen hut that had once been a home to someone and made a fire.

"So" Sarutobi spoke taking a carved pipe from his pocket filling it with some sweet smelling herb and lighting it with a stick from the fire he made in the center of the dirt floor and puffing upon it for a few minutes before blowing out a sleek stream of smoke and looking again at the man "why don't you tell us exactly why the locals around here are attacking you and more importantly, why they are apparently scared of this place we now sit?."

The man cleared his throat and put his hands to the fire looking at the wide eyed Jiraiya, the straight faced Tsunade and hesitantly into the icy golden eyes of Orochimaru, the man lost his nerve for a mere second and then tearing his eyes away from the strange boy he started speaking.

"I don't know much about why they really want to get rid of me; I think it was after they found me again that they started to suspect me of having alliances with the Hebi clan after they had been killed."

Orochimaru looked away but was still listening as he began absentmindedly began sharpening a long curved knife.

The man sighed and took a tin cup full of dark tea that Sarutobi handed to him for his nerves, Tokiru smiled and sipped at it and thanked him then continued, pretending that he had not seen Orochimaru's silent threat or that he had not taken in the fact that the more he talked about the clan, the darker the boy became.

"They had hired ninja come from a certain hidden village and take care of them because they supposedly posed a large threat to the peace of this mountain, I had gone there to investigate the area and had followed a small group of the strange people to a place near their village where they went to pray to some sort of "snake god "or something like that." He looked puzzled and took another sip of his tea before continuing again knowing better than to not at the strange boy with the knife or the other two serious children listening to his story.

Sarutobi urged the man to finish his story and so Tokiru complied.

"As I was saying, these people were obviously paying tribute to some sort of large beast that I could never see" he coughed as Tsunade arched one delicate brow and crossed her arms "so you were a spy then?" Tokiru floundered at the question and made it quite apparent to everyone listening that he had indeed been a spy for the ninja.

" But " he sputtered " it was not only the worshiping of this giant " snake god" that scared the locals…but the people themselves" he cast a swift glance at Orochimaru who was still sharpening his knife but now turned around with the rest of his team mates and silently regarding him over the inches of sharp steel in his hands.

Tokiru went on " the people in this village had strange pale white skin and strange colored eyes that ranged from bright emerald green to a deep amber gold, their faces were sometimes oddly shaped and the ones in the village that had decided to become ninja used strange techniques that made snakes come out of their hands and their tongues to- " he stopped there for a heavy blanket of silence had been thrown on the party as Tsunade, Jiraiya and Sondaime both stared at Orochimaru some in horror and others in dark surprise Orochimaru….

The boy stood up and slowly dropped the knife to his waist and glared down at the horrid shivering Tokiru as if he might kill him at any possible minute and then without another word he went into the surrounding woods mumbling something about firewood.

Saurtobi looked troubled as Orochimaru went off into the dark woods after the " firewood " and he sighed to himself, he had known that Orochimaru had been brought to Konoha as a very small boy but he had never known exactly where he had come from, so this was it…how sad. Tsunade was stock still in the dark and Jiraiya was still wide eyed apparently trying to take it all in at once, so their team mate was someone who had been born in this dead village, not from Konoha…and more importantly…he was the only apparent survivor.

Tokiru sat silent for a minute and then a choking ugly laughter came from him, " so…it was as I had thought…one survived…no matter, the locals will hear of this soon and come for him as well…we are not safe!" Tsunade blinked and then slowly looked at the man and grimaced getting up suddenly and marching out the door and off in the direction that Orochimaru had gone, and as she passed Sarutobi she sighed and he nodded. She would get him back, explain everything, and then it would all be fine…

As she trudged through the prickly dead foliage she didn't care or really feel as the branches tore at her cloths or that thorns ripped scratches in her skin. Now she was beginning to understand him a little bit…why he was always so lonely and got angry when anyone would exploit his difference…"and this" she thought…was the reason his heart had grown cold and distant…he had no one.

Orochimaru had not cared where he was going and nor was he looking for firewood, his eyes burned in the darkness and his fists were shaking and clenched in front of him. He wanted to murder that man…to do something horrible to him, he had known about him from the start but had decided to play on it and speak ill about the place where he had been born and nearly died…he despised the world that left him so cold…

"If only" he mumbled through cold lips "I had been more powerful…if only they hadn't died…I could have killed them all and made them pay for ruining my life! I need more power!"

He slowly stood up upon the tree limb he had perched upon from where he could see all of the mountains side. "And I will yet have it."

Jiraiya also stood when Tsunade left and looked at the man with nothing else than pure disgust "Tokiru kun… he may be creepy and he may be mean sometimes but…I don't think he's any different than the rest of us…" then going over to the burned out doorway he stood waiting for the rest of his team to return.

Tsunade soon found him in a tree, typical for Orochimaru…though, she sighed to herself "even though he's my team mate…I barely know anything about him at all…maybe.." she shook her head and looked up coming out of the far bushes and yelling up at him " OROCHIMARU!" she waited a minute until he slowly cocked his head in her direction and hissed in a very icy voice " oh…you…what do you want?" she was taken aback a little and nearly every fiber of her being wanted to shrink back in terror as her heart tried to accustom itself to the " snake in the grass" feeling that crawled on her skin. "O-Orochimaru…I heard what that man said…I understand-"

"NO YOU DON'T!" he snarled and then looking at her for a minute a smirk came to his lips and he calmed down a little more " no I'm pretty sure you don't understand anything about me Tsunade, loosing my clan wasn't something so big that I didn't get over in the 10 years that I've lived in Konoha." He dropped down from the tree and she let out a strangled squeak as he appeared right in front of her before she could raise a hand " I don't need saving…you know I am stronger than you and Jiraiya…what makes you think that you can do anything for me…" his eyes engulfed her in a case of golden amber, she was trapped as a bug was, stock still and frightened to her last wit as she had been when she first had come so close to him. " You cannot bring them back OR give me power…you are merely here as my team mate…what is your purpose in life Tsunade?…maybe you should think about it." He smiled and walked past her "we have that old man to protect remember?...lets finish this …only sensei and the toad are there to protect him…" an amused note crept in to his voice "and I think he'll need every one of us to keep him safe…" he looked back, almost back to his old self except for his eyes…Tsunade shuddered and followed. "Heartless eyes."

Jiraiya blinked away the sleep that was creeping up on his consciousness and crossed his arms "geez…where are those two…I hope…that Orochimaru wasn't too mad..." he murmured in a worried tone remembering to vividly the last fight he had had with the guy.

Sarutobi sat and then slowly tapped the contents of his pipe on the dirt ground and glanced back at Tokiru who was now looking around as if he expected some sort of creature to pop out of nowhere and devour him at any given second. " Don't fret Jiraiya" Sarutobi muttered smiling at the worried boy standing guard at the doorway and shivering not only because of the cold night air " they will come back shortly…I can sense it" Jiraiya slowly nodded and then looked back outside.

Tokiru having felt better after Sarutobi had broken the silence began speaking again " we never found that snake thing again…after the ninja the locals hired destroyed the village we looked all over for the remains of something along the lines of " giant snake" but we couldn't find it….just an empty shrine" Sarutobi looked at him oddly " I wouldn't know about anything like that…but as for before" he looked at the man seriously " I would advise not to speak ill of any of my team….they have ways of venting themselves you see."

That shut him up.

About twenty minutes or so after anyone had talked Jiraiya let out a relieved sigh as Tsunade and Orochimaru came out of the trees carrying small bundles of sticks in their arms looking un harmed, " that's good" breathed Jiraiya and went to greet them.

Sarutobi smiled but it swiftly went away as he spied Orochimaru's face in the darkness as well as Tsunade's…and he knew something had happened even if they didn't completely show it on their faces he could tell that the rift between the two had grown much much wider.

He took the fire wood bundles and stacked them against the far wall near Tokiru who was making it very clear that he didn't like the fact that Orochimaru was back in the house.

"Well "Sarutobi sighed "we will resume the journey in the morning…right now…I think everyone needs some rest" he nodded and spread out five thin futons on the floor. "Well need it."

Truthfully, no one really slept that night, Orochimaru stared at the ceiling thinking deeply about something and Tsunade keeping one eye closed watched him, Jiraiya watched both of them. It was going to be a long night. Strangely right as the grey dawn licked over the tops of the tree's around the village Orochimaru awoke to the sound of the snapping of a twig, slinking silently from his futon and grabbing the first weapon that he laid his hands on. The knife he had been sharpening last night, how quaint. He rubbed his eyes a little and looked back, noticing that Tokiru wasn't in his bed…suspicious… then moving a little ahead he spied Sensei "good…Sarutobi is asleep" he breathed and silently crept between the now sleeping Tsunade and as he got to Jiraiya he frowned as it took a little longer to tip toe around the boy who had conveniently sprawled himself out in front of the entrance, "Idiot" he muttered as he slunk outside, a light breeze tousling his long black hair and chilling him a little for he was only wearing his black under suit and fish net top. He sighed and flicked open the knife as again the noise sounded, dry leaves and sticks…whoever it was, they were trying to be quiet...he smirked "not trying hard enough…" he ran forward barely touching the ground beneath him and leaping in a tree he waited like a large black cat, his golden eyes ablaze and waiting for the unfortunate mouse to come a' calling.

He narrowed his eyes as the footsteps got closer and then were soon joined by about six more "so…mice are joined by rats…what joy." He hissed. He glanced back at the small Hut where the rest of his team were either stirring or still sleeping and the thought crossed his mind of getting them up to find out where their dear friend Tokiru had gone in the night and to form a welcoming party for their slumber crashers who were coming in from the southern part of the forest, a band of seven, four common looking men with an assortment of sharp knifes, Two dark looking ninja from some country he didn't recognize and…he squinted and almost started laughing…Tokiru in a hard hat and sporting a crossbow leading the charge…"oh good " he purred and slowly extended his tongue a lot longer than it should have gone and licked the tip of his knife " I was getting bored."

Orochimaru moved silently through the early morning shadows cast by the broken homes around and smirking vanished into the mist inside the gate leading into the ghostly village.

Tokiru and the locals he had gathered along with his other hired Nin from the cloud country. "So far so good" he thought to himself looking uneasily around the dark gateway "the little snake boy should be sleeping right now and they would kill him and then if the others arose kill them as well" 'leave no trace behind' the General had said…in order to keep his freedom and to prove that he was innocent of connections with the snake village… he had to kill this kid. The man walked back to the back of the line and was about to give orders to the hired ninja behind him to first scout out the house to make sure it was safe to enter when another sound caught his attention, a strangled squeak from the front which had stopped dead in their tracks as if some invisible force was stopping them from moving forward.

It had gone silent, dead grave silent and no one dared to breath as a small figure slipped out of the mist, Orochimaru, his eyes wide and hungry and his lips curved in a creepy inviting smile which very much clashed with the fact that he held a four inch sharp blade in his right hand " Good morning friends…." He narrowed his eyes over the sharp edge of his knife "lets have some fun." He stepped forward sneering at the terrified faces of Tokiru and his minions "too late for you.." he mouthed and then raising his knife again he stepped into the frozen party and a brittle laughter echoed from inside the entrance of the once living village of the snakes.

Oh suspense! Ah you know what happens to that guy! Sheesh Oro… violent much?

Oro: O. of _COURSE_!

So that was the first four chapters…questions, comments, concerns… cookies?

Or do you just want me to get on with it? o love to hear from you…oh and btw . no flaming…if you do all my fans and I will have to have a marshmallow cook out without you! 3 mmm smores! Anyway badger ye later!


	5. Chapter 5 Snakes Awakened

Ch.5

Snakes Awakened

Sarutobi woke up and rubbed his eyes, "oh, I must have been rather tired…and I had the strangest dream" he looked over and saw two things that scared him. One…Tokiru was missing from the room and two…so was Orochimaru. Jiraiya and Tsunade were just waking up and sluggishly putting on their outer cloths and mildly noticing what he had. "Jiraiya!" he barked at the boy, for even though the others were taller he was the oldest and would get to his feet a lot quicker. The boy leaped up though only half dressed his eyes were sharp and a kunai was in his hand " uh…" he looked strangely at his teacher and blinked " what is the matter? You scared me there…I thought someone was attacking "

Sarutobi frowned and snipped as Tsunade, also sensing something wrong stood up. "I have a bad feeling about this kids…you "he looked at Jiraiya who was beginning to tie back his hair in a pony tail "I want you to come with me…Tsunade" he glanced at the already packed blonde who as he looked at her seemed to have changed over night "I want you to go search for Tokiru….and hurry "

Tsunade split from them as they ran over the split roof tops of the houses, Jiraiya looked strangely at Sarutobi not knowing exactly where they were going but knowing that something was up.

"Sensei "he whispered as he ran forward catching the chill in the air as Sarutobi must also have caught and shivered "why did you bring me instead of Tsunade?"

This got him a serious glance as they sped up and searched for Orochimaru "because" he grouched "you and little Yondaime trained together so you, though often silly are a best bet for if we run into trouble…Tsunade on the other hand… is good at healing…and I have a feeling that someone will need it."

Tsunade flipped over the roof of a broken house and dropped silently on to the dirt ground and blinked her eyes cold and alert in the mist still burning off as the autumn sun bleached it with warmth. " I sense…something" she murmured and slowly stood up brushing one hand through her blonde hair nervously as she walked down the path she had found which ultimately would lead her to the main entrance where they had come in. She walked for a while keeping to the misty shadows and then stopping suddenly as a huge wave of fear along with a very horrid smell met her in a wall, she shivered and forced herself to walk into the dark gate where she found the bodies of around 6 people…or those that she could tell were people for they were hideously mauled and ripped asunder as rag dolls would be; most of them decapitated, it was revolting and worse…She knew that even though she was the greatest healer in her village, she could not bring them back.

She knelt down beside one who had desperately tried to crawl away from whatever or whoever had attacked them, turned the body over and then moaned in horror as she recognized who it was " Tokiru kun…." She stared at his body for a moment and then clutching her throat ran to the side of the gate and vomited, " the smell " she gasped and shook her head again forcing herself to look among the bodies until she was sure that every one of them was dead…she had even found two dead ninja from the cloud country in the pile…" how sad" she sighed and then scrambling out of the death hole she looked up at the sky with glazed over brown eyes that had seen death way too many times and as her hair masked her face she frowned and balling her fist, slammed it into the right side of the gate wall causing it to crack and then crumble. " Orochimaru…"

Jiraiya ran beside Sarutobi listening to the reasons why he would be best suited to face 'trouble', which as he began to notice had suddenly become a second name for Orochimaru. He squawked as they flitted from house to house looking for the boy "ME fight HIM? As much as id love to and all…NO!"

Sarutobi snarled "I did not say fight your team mate! I know as much as you do right now about this whole thing so until we find him and get either information or his body be good and shut up!"

Jiraiya was happy to comply.

They stopped both out of breath from searching long and they began walking under a copes of dead trees, which as Jiraiya eyed them, must have been well taken care of and beautiful once before, he looked down and also saw dried up vines and empty seed shells strewn upon the ground and sighed " this was a garden once…" Sarutobi glanced down at him for a second and shook his head "amazing that you can think of something like that at a time like this…but this is good Jiraiya…your mind is on something other than fear."

Sarutobi was still standing and keeping a sharp look out for either Orochimaru or the terribly late Tsunade of whom he was beginning to silently worry about.

Jiraiya huffed and scratched his head flopping down a few feet away at the base of a dead tree so he would be able to see either of the two coming from his direction. " Taku…" he sighed and began to go through his weapon pouch, a certain nervous habit he had recently acquired since coming here, He took out a long kunai about 3 inches or so used for either long distance or straight fighting such as you would with a katana. As he looked down at his fuzzy reflection in the metal it was suddenly lost to view as a bright red drop of blood splattered on his knife….His eyes widened and he slowly looked up at the tree and through the curtain of dead leaves that had struggled to stay on their branches and leaped off the ground and skittered back to Sensei as fast as he could silently pointing up at the tree's branches, for hung upon the crown of the dead tree two severed heads, ones with cloud ninja headbands still upon them dangled from the limbs of the twisted tree in hideous tribute.

Sarutobi grimaced and placed one hand upon the shoulder of his shaking student and sighed " Jiraiya…change in mission….this one has changed from C to rank A…find Orochimaru and Tsunade " he growled his eyes as hard as ice " now go…" He split up from Jiraiya and silently knew that the boy could hold his own, after all….he had almost mastered the techniques only the fourth himself knew and at such a young age…all his students had turned out very special…"

He ran forward and as he headed in the direction of the gate he paused for a second to note splotches of blood on walls and the ground, someone had been wounded…. He looked up and noticed a trail, blood, slide, blood, slide, and step.

"Good "he breathed "someone is still alive."

Tsunade didn't want to believe that Orochimaru, no matter how much of a messed up kid he seemed at first could do something like this…he had a conscience. She hoped he did at least. She silently turned and stared at the dusty heap of stone and plaster that had been the gate to the city, now the tomb of Tokiru and some others she didn't know. "But" she wondered as she walked away intent on finding Orochimaru as fast as she could "why had Tokiru been there? And with those people…why" she narrowed her eyes as she sped up to a trot "…had they had weapons upon them? Had they expected a fight? But if so, with whom?

She closed her eyes and stopped stretching her consciousness out to sense any trace of her team mate. As it went everything she looked at appeared white, discolored, strange. She noticed thankfully the green chakra of her sensei and the blue of Jiraiya who for once in her life she would be happy to see and then as she scanned around she was nearly blasted back as she felt a deep purple and black chakra burning some area away from her in the forest surrounding the village, Orochimaru, he was alive.

She opened her eyes and swiveling on her heel she ran as fast as she could towards the direction she had sensed him her mind roaring and twisting in a conflict with her heart "He didn't do it! He did and you know it…He didn't! Keep on denying it Tsunade…you will see" whispered her heart as she so distressed to get to her team mate that she punched trees out of her way and crumbled rocks in her way. She would find out the truth, she had to.

Jiraiya stood in front of the mountain of rubble that Tsunade had created and darkly noted the blood seeping from underneath "Tsunade" he sighed "you must have been frightened…so much blood" he looked up his eyes narrowed "but where did you go?"

Sarutobi peeked into all the houses that stood still and soon the trail of blood ended, he took out a long kunai he had borrowed from Jiraiya and stepping cautiously around the blood soaked ground slid in the cracked entry way, holding up his weapon and quickly accustoming his eyes to the dark.

He started as he noticed a woman crouching in a corner, a shovel held in front of her as some sort of shield, her simple brown dress ripped and splattered with blood, mostly her own he guessed as his gaze rested on her right leg which was rapidly turning black and blue, and he grimaced as he noticed splinters of the bone spiking up through her skin.

He dropped his weapon and went to her slowly as so not to frighten the poor woman who must have only been around 20 and promising that he would not hurt her, ripped the left sleeve from his over shirt and tied it carefully around her leg so it would stop the major blood loss, but he knew that she must bee in excruciating pain…He needed Tsunade for he could only take care of a few injuries…and she though still young was far beyond his level. He comforted the woman who was slowly beginning to fall unconscious and hoped that he could keep her alive long enough for his students to get back.

Tsunade stopped, her knuckles bruised and bloody and gasping lungful after lungful of air she looked forward and there she found under a outcropping of fallen tree's and stones a shallow cave which as she noticed the floor, was speckled with dark blood, she rushed over and ducked in immediately stunned as she met the burning eyes of her team mate, Orochimaru.

Orochimaru looked up at her slowly, having languidly placed himself upon a seat of moss and was silently trying to tie bits of stained cloth around his gashed up arms now washed red instead of pure white and having a time of it as he was doing this with his teeth. Tsunade crept in and knelt down to look at his wounds and got a heated glare from him " I don't need looking at blonde…" he hissed " I'm fine.." she frowned and stood her hands on her hips " do you want scars? You are loosing blood and just look at you!" and without pursuing it further snatched his hands and grunted as blue chakra burned from her hands and spread rapidly over his two arms, the gashes steaming and then closing up with a sound like bacon frying "there" she huffed and turned looking back only to snatch a glimpse of Orochimaru's face, not as surprised as she had hoped…he looked hungry.

As he noticed her looking at him he looked at his arms and flexed them the amber in his eyes growing softer…his mirrors had risen back up, not letting anyone see his inner self, sealing off his soul to the world. Tsunade sat opposite from him and made sure that he had no intention of leaving in his condition seeing as even with healing it still ached enough and then looked at him strangely "Orochimaru…what happened?"

He raised one hand shakily and brushed his tangled black hair from his face and his gold eyes met her brown ones "I awoke " he started " to find that Tokiru had left the hut and so I went to look for him, seeing no reason to wake you for I had noticed you three were tired from the previous day so I went alone and what I found wasn't pleasing" he purred, making Tsunade shiver and remember the pile of bodies including the man they had been ordered to protect under the gate.

"So..." she mumbled with numb lips "what did you find?"

She cursed herself mentally as her heart betrayed her and started to thump loudly, so loud she was quite sure that he could hear it from across the small space. He blinked and then shrugged his thin shoulders "a raid from the other side of the mountain where the other village lies…the ones that ordered my village to be destroyed" he stared at her, daring her to pity him "They had come for Tokiru as well as myself…the last survivor of a 'demon' race, they had hired two ninja from another place to attack us…I simply defended myself" he let a smug look warm his chiseled ice features.

Her heart thumped painfully in her chest and her eyes widened as her words betrayed her and her heart laughed and hissed at her, stealing Orochimaru's voice "I told you sooooo…." She stood up causing Orochimaru to look at her once more with something near remorse "than you…you…killed all those people?" she stammered, her fists clenched until her knuckles went white "you did that?" she murmured, her voice lowering an octave as she looked at him under her curtain of blonde hair, having ripped the ties out of her hair so they wouldn't catch while she searched, her hair now spilling over her shoulders like a sad waterfall as she waited for his answer.

She suddenly started as he too stood up and with another liquid movement that her eyes couldn't yet follow he stepped forward one hand raised, his eyes shadowed.

Jiraiya wondered where Sensei was, but he didn't have time, he still had to find Orochimaru and Tsunade who too had seemingly vanished. He leaped from a rusty lantern top and found himself in the middle of the ghost village where he noticed rested a dusty shrine of some sort, old candles and moth eaten tapestries still hung over the thing, he was curious about it and much wanted to investigate when a scream split the air like a knife " TSUNADE!" He jumped and ran, transferring chakra to the bottom of his feet so he would run twice as fast over any object that got in his way…he had heard Tsunade scream…not your every day occurrence he snarled as noticed smashed trees and crumbled up boulders….a trail of really big bread crumbs, he silently thanked her and sped forward.

Sarutobi opened a flask from his supply pack and wet some of the tattered cloth from his shirt with the water and wet the girls forehead and then tried to mop up the blood that was already welling up from the split skin where the bones had splintered through and he sighed looking out a hole in the wall at the forest beyond for he too had heard the faint scream and silently wished he could help but he had his own mess to deal with…those three…he sighed and brushed back the girls long matted hair from her shoulders and face only to find a large dark bruise rapping around the girls throat.

"Someone tried to strangle you…" he whispered "but that isn't something that would be left by a rope or anything….what is going on here?"

Orochimaru's right arm snaked out and snatched a large spider from her left shoulder which had silently crawled there whilst she was un aware and then frowning he slowly redrew his hand and looked at the spider for a moment before crushing its fat body between his index finger and thumb and looked up at Tsunade who had gone red and was frowning, a storm was brewing. He smiled and wiped his fingers on his pants which started smoking immediately upon contact with his fingers "there are many poisonous insects in these woods Tsunade…you should know that being the great healer you are " he smiled and turned "I'm sure that the others are looking for us right? Let's go."

Tsunade looked at the ground still "you defended yourself? They attacked you?"  
Orochimaru shrugged and continued walking "I did." After a few minutes Tsunade followed him, she knew he had done it as sure as the lies had rolled off his long tongue…but she wouldn't tell. She couldn't.

As they walked in complete silence save for the sacred breaths which they breathed in the Luke warm air; many thoughts were exchanged and both of their chakra's swirled around them both believing in the other.

Tsunade was about to say something when she was instantly jumped and bowled over by a demonic looking Jiraiya who was panting like a mad dog, "Tsunade! Are you ok? "He looked over at the slightly annoyed looking Orochimaru and smiled lightly "and you are safe as well….good."

They all caught their breath for a while and Orochimaru told his story along with Tsunade, giving them time enough to rest and then run back to the village of which Sarutobi sensei hadn't yet emerged. Jiraiya stopped when they reached a point in the village where he felt a great rift in chakra and with Tsunade and Orochimaru in tow they walked inside and were met with a grizzly sight.

Orochimaru wrinkled his nose at this, he had indeed killed all those men and women but he had left one alive having assumed her dead in a few seconds…she hadn't attacked him as the others had in blind terror but he had sadly been there, an unfortunate thing. Tsunade was the first to blanch at the scene before her and run to the side of the girl who was scarcely older than herself and placed her hands upon the unconscious girl's leg and then gasped.

She didn't have to long to live and Tsunade knew it, she shivered and looked up at a serious Sarutobi a worried (as always) Jiraiya and then slowly she glanced at Orochimaru who in spite of the horrible scene before him looked cold and emotionless as a marble statue…and yet…she turned from him as her hands glowed with chakra as she tried desperately to save the girl.

She couldn't tell the others that he had done this…ever.


	6. Chapter 6 decisions

Ch.6

Decisions

The next day it rained, all four of them stood their eyes down cast at the clearing on the outskirts of the village where the young girl had been buried. Tsunade dropped some wildflowers on her grave and stood next to Sarutobi as the others paid their respects to the girl who had fought in her own way to save her life. Sarutobi glanced at his team and then sighed, their first mission and it had to end up like this…it wasn't good for them…they were still kids and he knew that a few years meant nothing if you weren't ready for them.

Orochimaru dropped a lilac he had found behind the village, a dried up lilac but still a dusty purple…he thought it appropriate, for like the woman this flower had tried to stay alive as well but in the end…he had hacked its lifeline and gave it to her. Sarutobi watched him give her the flower and sighed motioning to them to come for they had a long journey back home to report to the fourth, what had transpired here. Tsunade walked behind them all, not speaking, not getting angry about the long walk just…there, a big hole in existence. "Tsunade" Jiraiya whispered and tried everything he could to get her to notice him, even resorting to rude jokes which only got him a grumpy sigh.

Orochimaru walked in front of Jiraiya behind Sarutobi keeping quiet as well but occasionally glancing back at the obviously depressed girl and then focused again on his own thoughts, " he knew that she knew everything, she was a person he could not pull the wool over and then he also knew that what he had done had hurt her the most…the blood, the betrayal and the girl…she was a casualty in his plan he had not expected, however Tsunade had intrigued him by keeping her mouth shut, curious."

Sarutobi was the one who suddenly ripped the blanket that had enveloped them in their own minds and stole away their speech, they looked up.

It was getting late now, the sun slinking behind the receding tree line, a ninja in its own right and concealing them in the deep dark shadows of the night.

They had not really noticed they just knew they had been running non stop for quite a while and were tired both physically and emotionally. " Well, I have to apologize for this mission…it turned out unexpectedly and it affected you three quite a bit" he eyed the three tired teens and shrugged bringing out three round black pills from the pouch at his waist. " These are food pills…they will give you enough energy to get the rest of the way home, its dangerous to be out at night " watching as they all took them and then turning on his heel ran off in the general direction that would lead them back to Konoha.

As the sun went to sleep under the hills, leaving the lake that bordered the Uchiha clan washed blood red. They were home, well as home went for Orochimaru but it was enough, there had been enough of his past pried open for the world to see where they shouldn't have that he was actually feeling very vulnerable. Sarutobi reluctantly left the children alone to go their separate ways, as worried as he was about the three they were strong enough to deal with their personal demons. The three of them walked together under a star less sky still cloudy from the rain from the morning, it was cool and calm here and it hadn't been where they had come from. "Tsunade" a voice spoke quietly…Orochimaru's

She looked up, her brown eyes desperately trying to climb back to their own selves "yes?" Jiraiya looked at the two and sighed, "FINALLY! He grumbled at the startled two "someone had to break that awkward silence! "He smiled "it was giving me a head ache…" he rubbed the red streaks painted under his eyes trying to mask the fact that he had started to cry.

Orochimaru looked at the boy in the darkness and suddenly realized all this time he had thought of Jiraiya as only a disposable team member, but now he strangely realized that the he had been wrong. He smiled.

Jiraiya and Tsunade started as they reached the part in the road where their paths became separate and were even more startled when Orochimaru's white hands appeared on their shoulders and watched him smile almost genuinely which was very disturbing and funny in a way.

" Tsunade…Jiraiya…" he whispered as a sudden gust of wind blew through the streets of Konoha coming with the closing of doors and the turning off of lights, leaving them completely submerged in nights great cloak. Orochimaru smiled eerily "my good friends…" he hissed lingering on the 'S' and then without another word he walked off towards his home leaving his two team mates very confused.

After a while Tsunade said goodnight to Jiraiya and they went their separate ways, each of them hoping that the next day they would have woken to find it had been only one big nightmare…just a dream.

Orochimaru unlocked his door and ripped the exploding note from the back of it assuring that he really never needed a lock. He sighed and flopped down on his bed not even having bothered to remove his shoes. He had gotten revenge for his clan…he had never expected to do that but he had…he had killed again.

He smiled remembering how his two 'friends' had not spoken up about how many he had slaughtered that day…perhaps he found himself pondering…I could have friends after all. He sighed and almost immediately was fast asleep.

"_AAAHHHHH!" _a frightened squeal echoed from the top level of a cream building complex causing sleepy heads to pop out of windows and inquire who had killed the pig, glancing up and then noticing with a few grumbles that it came from Tsunade's room…typical. Jiraiya used to immediately jumping up with a weapon in his hand when such a freaky noise occurred groaned and slogged out of bed opening his window a crack and wincing as the light streamed in. " AHH MY _EYES_!" someone in the room below him laughed.

He looked up long enough to see Tsunade's window being opened by her mother smiling with her little new born boy in her arms no doubt comforting an upset Tsunade, he wouldn't blame her after last night which unfortunately hadn't been a nightmare but, he shrugged "had one anyway" he sighed as he went back in his room to go eat breakfast having heard his fathers grunting from the other side of the slider.

Tsunade sighed heavily and drank the milk that her mother had brought with the help of her chubby little brother of course, she let a hesitant smile glow on her face and got up "thanks mom…dad…is he not going to come home again?"

Her mother looked sad and then shrugged " maybe not…" she smirked and waved as she went downstairs " but that doesn't mean your going to get to skip out of making Shogayaki (note: pork fried in ginger) " she sang and then was gone leaving Tsunade feeling much better staring out the window into a bright new sunny day.

Tsunade, strangely was the first out of the whole team to make it to Sarutobi who was happy to see them all well and served them some tea to warm their recovering souls "I informed the Fourth of what happened to you three, according to your story Orochimaru… he is impressed he says and saddened by the fact that you guys had to see such travesties." Orochimaru drank his tea slowly, savoring it and rolling it on his tongue which felt oddly heavy today, he shrugged and raised his golden eyes to meet his Sensei's " and do we have a new mission yet?" Jiraiya and Tsunade both were surprised at his strong front, he had been in the middle of that whole thing yesterday and was still able to get over the fact that even though Sarutobi didn't know and they did…that he had killed all those people himself in self defense, had seen so much blood and pain…and was unscathed by it.

Sarutobi looked up as the fourth came in and smiled at Jiraiya who chuckled "well its nice to see you are all in good health" Orochimaru blinked, the Hokage himself had come to see how they were doing despite all of the work he must have had…all of the uh…important stuff he had to accomplish…he was indeed…a kid.

Yondaime smiled at Tsunade noticing that she out of the rest of them sat silent trying to hide behind her tea cup, "are you ok?" he asked. She went red faced and Jiraiya was about to become slightly jealous until she set her tea down and crossed her arms back to her own self " Of course! " she grinned " talk to this pervert here" she laughed slapping Jiraiya on the back and causing the fourth to laugh. Orochimaru allowed himself a small grin. "I don't think I will assign you a mission today because of your previous one but you can help me sort papers if you want he chuckled and walked out on his own business.

Sarutobi told them to have lunch which surprisingly had creped up on them un aware and they looked at each other and Jiraiya shrugged and took off the forehead protector that marked him as a ninja of Konoha and grinning from ear to ear took a meal ticket which had been taped to the back, "AWSOME!" he laughed as he ran off to town leaving two baffled ninja in his wake.

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes and his golden irises slid her way and she didn't feel as if she should shiver away from him anymore. " Would you eat lunch with me this time?" he sneered remembering the last time they had been together at lunch time ultimately causing Tsunade to smile and rub her neck, " yeah sure."

Orochimaru had bought them both a bowl of ramen and they sat down with it and started to eat, the food was strange and tasteless to him, he started to wonder about his tongue and he stuck it out just to make sure and chuckled as Tsunande nearly choked on her bit of egg as she spied him doing so.

"Hey Tsunade" he said staring at a steaming stream of ramen on his chopsticks and then glancing over at her "why didn't you tell Sarutobi…that I had killed that girl…you knew didn't you? You know how she died as well "he mumbled slurping up the hot noodles and then drinking some of the broth still watching her face over the rim of the bowl. She set her chopsticks down having finished her bowl and then looked at him, anger, hurt, and trust welling up in her eyes meeting his own with her fearlessness "did you? Did you really do it?"

He raised one eyebrow and then looked down retreating for once from someone else's gaze "I did not mean to kill her Tsunade…" then as she thought for once she had heard his heart in his words, in his eyes, the mirrors returned and again she was blocked out of his world where nothing made sense to her.

Tsunade silently had made her decision and nothing would change it.

He had meant that then…he hadn't meant to kill that girl.

He got up, paid for the ramen and then without saying a word left her there to stew in the thoughts he has snaked into her mind, he stared at his hands which had previously been saturated with blood and grimaced. He had once said he could never trust anyone ever again…maybe he couldn't but he would let them believe they had him…it would lead them to hate him eventually…he needed them to.

He made sure not to run into any of the three from his team, especially Sarutobi and found that he had walked somewhere far from where he had walked before and took his time to look around, he now stood in a shaded brook which as he followed it with his eyes emptied itself into the lake, the same lake as he remembered had been that beautiful red color when they had come back the night before, He frowned and then the sound of a door opening caught his attention and he turned his head and found his gaze met with some slightly dark and curious burgundy ones.

Orochimaru now surprised himself turned fully around to face the boy who had come out of a hut concealed behind a copse of trees that he had not cared to look at. "Uchiha Itachi…if I remember correctly" he purred running one hand through his long black hair. Itachi stood there for a minute In the doorway and then setting a long black cloak that he had been holding down upon the gate next to the door " and you" he spoke in a cool tone " are Orochimaru…I remember as well " he did not smile but stood there " why are you here?"

Orochimaru looked amused but was slightly irked "am I not allowed to be wherever I please in the village I grew up?" he hissed.

Itachi stepped forward and Orochimaru realized that the man was about two inches taller than himself but would not be backed down "well?" he mumbled.

Itachi shrugged and then glanced to the hut as if he had heard a noise from inside and then sighed " I have said I was busy before and I am still…I am surprised that you found me in such a place but…" he looked at Orochimaru with those calculating red eyes of his the wrinkles underneath them only magnifying their shadows and then blinked " come back…if your heart tells you to do so…" and then with that he snatched the cloak he had been holding closely when he had opened the door and as he vanished, he glimpsed a flash of some design on the garment…a red cloud…the symbol of chaos.

Orochimaru more interested than scared turned on his heel and ran from the place back to his house where he could be alone with his thoughts for it seemed everyone lately was reading them.

He threw himself upon his bed and instantly snatched up the fourth's book and then with a breath watched it flicker and be eaten away by flame…the Hokage…he would become a better one than any of them…the most powerful…but they were all old…why? To learn all the Jitsu in the world…you would need longer than a life time "You would need to be immortal"

He whispered and threw the book from him. Leaving him alone in the darkness that had come to consume him.

Sarutobi was worried again, he had watched the boy walk off from lunch with a strange look on his face…he didn't like it…he seemed to have become more unstable lately than he had when he had first come to Konoha. Even though he had sent ninja from the village just to find out the strange boys past all he had come up with was the dead body of the person who had brought him to the village and a very rusty dagger which in its wooden handle deep grooves were carved down the length of it…tally marks. But for what, he wondered but as he watched the boy he began to put the puzzle that was Orochimaru, and it wasn't turning out good.

Tsunade was at a clearing she had made for herself and put up a dummy set on a log so that she could practice and she did, she punched her frustrations into it, pummeled it with all she had until she became so furious with herself for not being able to be honest with herself that she twirled around and split the log and the dummy in two. She huffed now out of breath and sweating as she flopped down upon the soft grass and stared up at the sky, the light hitting a necklace she wore underneath her robes which had in her exercising come out to wink in the sun casting splashes of rainbows on her flushed face.

After a few minutes she slowly pressed her two hands together at her breast and then mumbled something and closed her eyes as her chakra took care of her fatigue. But even as she did so she could not get her mind off Orochimaru's strange behavior and she turned over on her side and refused herself to the things her traitorous heart whispered to her about how evil he was.

Jiraiya was practicing in the back with Yondaime, the boy and he had been together since they were…smaller and had trained each other, and each other their student and they were fine with that. Yondaime looked wondrously at the burning blue ball of chakra he had managed to form in his left hand and he smiled as Jiraiya had concentrated so much that his face had gone purple while trying to grow his hair into something he could used as a cloak, which he soon gave up on and rested in a chair.

Yondaime shirking his paper work as usual sat down with his friend and then looked up at the open sky of the arena which wouldn't be used for quite some time yet and sighed "so Jiraiya…tell me about your new friends…especially about that one…what was his name again?" he questioned one of his sapphire eyes resting on him. Jiraiya sighed and then shrugged "Orochimaru…just Orochimaru."

It had gotten late and as he finished off his dinner Sarutobi grabbed his cloak for it was getting to be chilly around this season and as he opened the door he was nearly shocked as he noticed that standing on his doorstep was a very beat up looking Orochimaru. "Orochimaru?" he coughed and then hurriedly brought him inside having other ideas of going out now " what are you doing…and your hands " he looked at the boys pale hands which were now severely burned somehow, but as he stared he recognized these burns…chakra made those " What were you trying to do Orochimaru?"

He glanced anxiously at the boys face which was hidden under a curtain of hair " make me the Hokage" he hissed at Sarutobi, withdrawing his scared up hands and looking up one of his eyes visible under the curtain a dull bronze so unlike his normal bright eyes, " then I can fulfill my dream…"

Sarutobi looked stunned, the boy who stood in front of him was not only completely serious but the chakra force that seeped from his body had made even the hairs on his neck stand on end…something had happened to his apprentice during the few hours he had been back and it defiantly wasn't for the best. It was true, he believed though it was against his law as a teacher to judge but he knew that Orochimaru was much different than the other two he taught…they each had their specialties but his were far more …"disturbing" he briefly remembered the bruise on the girls throat that he also knew had come from this child who really, was only around the age of 16 or so.

"No" he barked at the boy causing another shiver to run down his spine but also Orochimaru's as well "I can't let you become the Hokage…you don't have it in you to become it yet Orochimaru…I'm sorry."

Orochimaru stood there for a moment and then looked up again and shook his head blinking as if he hadn't been in his own mind and then looked genuinely surprised " Sa-ru-tobi…Sensei…what am I doing here? " he raised his hands and then grimaced as he always did and Sarutobi narrowed his eyes.

This was very strange…very strange indeed, he had seemed so absorbed in his dream that he had become a puppet to his mind until he had voiced it…genjitsu…whatever jitsu he had tried had taken effect…he just hoped it wasn't to late to find out what was wrong with him.

Other wise, he feared as he sat his now very suspicious looking student in a chair and then locked the door and turned on him, the boy would be lost to him. "Tell me what you were doing Orochimaru…what happened to you…your hands."

The boy looked up and then his voice dark began to speak.


	7. Chapter 7 Sannin

Ch. 7

Sannin

He spoke to his sensei for the remainder of the night while he bandaged up his hands with some bandages Sarutobi gave him, speaking of the book and how in the darkness he had tried in vain to bring back someone from his past…it hadn't worked. Sarutobi looked down at the boys bandaged hands and he sighed "that isn't something you should try Orochimaru…what would drive you to do something so wrong?" he murmured and then caught again a bright reflection in the boys dull flat eyes…and he knew he wouldn't tell him.

Orochimaru blinked and then moved his head lightly to look out the window at the dusky pink sky signaling the near approaching sun rise…the first movement he had made in quite a while. " Sensei" he murmured…I believe I should try and get washed up and get the couple hours of sleep I have left before practice starts…I will need them" he stood shakily and placing his hands in his pocket, thanked him rather quickly and let himself out.

Sarutobi sighed and then with a tired grunt he got up and closed the door which had been left slightly ajar, a cold wind blowing already making a chilly hissing sound as it howled between the small cracks in the frame. " Hokage" he murmured and then scratched his head and went back to his desk his eyes dark and then picking a pencil he began furiously writing upon a scroll of paper to the boy he had chosen as the fourth about the matter. Orochimaru wandered in the cold, his hands in his pockets and stinging with a vengeance, the pain screaming at him " fool fool FOOL you are…you with all your power couldn't do it…if only you had more…more power! " Orochimaru shook his head and then combing it back from his face which was calm despite all that had happened. " It does not matter, Sarutobi would have never made me the Hokage " he sighed remembering what he had been told about when he had come to his sensei's doorstep quite suddenly and stupidly demanded to be made the Hokage instead of the little eleven year old who now reined.

Sarutobi had told him that he was his special apprentice, his idiot apprentice.

He smiled a little at that last thought and then shrugged and made his way towards his little house, many things crowding in his mind all at once.

Then suddenly…he wondered if the other two had worried about him at all…

He opened his front door and then frowned.

"Probably not…" and then the door shut as the sun came up.

His team completed many missions after their rest up, some rank C and then quite a lot of rank B ones...They were sort of glad for even though Sarutobi was their sensei he was still very much the Third and he was respected more than the boy Yondaime as fourth…they felt safe.

Jiraiya had gotten wounded in the last battle they had fought with some rogues from the lightening and was sitting apart from the rest having just gotten out from the hospital, his right arm in a sling saying how lucky he was that the swords those ninja had wielded hadn't been that sharp and laughing about it.

Tsunade wasn't amused having had to deal with all the blood and try to heal him enough to get them out of there in one piece while accomplishing what they had come for. Orochimaru now wore black gloves to hide the scars that had formed from his experiment that was not a couple months past, he had had no outbursts since then, nothing abnormal save his complete silence about the subject.

Orochimaru sat there, his birthday having came and gone now a 17 year old and quite changed in many ways…Especially in color…he had stopped wearing the customary white and black and gone to a deeper shade of purple…around his eyes, his outfits, the same color as his strange chakra…it screamed pain…

The others of his team knew that he was still a little messed up inside, they still voiced that he was not beyond help, he laughed.

Sarutobi walked up ruining his daydream and he looked up along with Tsunade and Jiraiya who also had changed quite a bit, he stared a while and then looked back at Sarutobi "another mission?" he sighed which got him an amused glance from the old man "no in fact my apprentice…this "he handed the boy a slip of paper which Orochimaru gathered up quickly and read the text hungrily and then getting to the end of the notice looked at him quizzically "the chunnin exam? Aren't we chunnin already?" he mused noticeably having left the ugly vest at home.

"Yes…in a certain sense…you have already taken the chunnin exam and become great chunnin at that…no this is for something much better…" he eyed the three which slightly curious eyed him back "this is the Sannin exam"

Sarutobi just couldn't suppress a chuckle at the wide eyed faces of the three, especially on Orochimaru it was a rare and hilariously unusual expression to see on his face. "THE **SANNIN** EXAM?" Sarutobi smiled as Tsunade punched the air and expressed her joy in the matter and Jiraiya just acted like a big monkey after a banana, Orochimaru just stared.

" Yes, even I am not a sannin…I didn't want to be one…you three are quite liable to become Hokage this way as well I hope you know, Jiraiya laughed having already started writing a small book and Tsunade was spending all her money in the slots…and loosing it, " Hokage?" they shrugged " not interested."

Only Orochimaru looked interested…but inside, inside his heart he was bitter.

They had all accepted the task of the sannin exam which was to come in about a week however prior to this…an A rank mission involving the snow country and an important document…it was a piece of cake, frosted with blood.

When they got back the weight of it fell upon them, the exam that their sensei hadn't even taken…they would take soon.

Orochimaru still was shocked about it but kept his face from showing it of course, pristine and perfect like a pretty viper he held his calm till the last.

Obviously he had never heard of a "sannin exam" since there WERENT any sannen to take it…he frowned and sighed "there must be more to this…why would WE become sannin? What does this mean…?"

Sarutobi gathered all three of them in his office which resided next to the boy Hokage's room. After a while he sat them down and then dropped three different colored scrolls into their laps and waited for them to open them.

Tsunade being the impatient girl that she was ripped open her blue scroll first and nearly dropped it at once for on the long white piece of parchment were words, no…names written in blood along with that persons hand print…what WAS this thing? Tsunade held it at arms length to examine it as the others similarly opened theirs and were slightly disgusted as well.

"And just what IS this sensei?" Jiraiya voiced, wrinkling his nose and reading off the names which were oddly starting to become familiar…and then he stopped...a very small hand print…very small indeed on the last piece of the scroll he had in his hands…and under it…a name…Yondaime Uzumaki…

He squawked "THAT KIDS A SANNIN?"

Sarutobi chuckled "oh noooo not him…as the Hokage this and certain other things are taken…thus why you would be able to become the Hokage from this position…do you understand now apprentice?"

Jiraiya was still looking over the names as Sarutobi's gaze crawled over to the youngest of them still looking over the scroll, taking it in with is narrowed amber eyes.

"So" the hiss came from the still engrossed form of Orochimaru "what do these do…?"

Sarutobi smiled and then looking at Tsunade and taking her scroll from her which she was conveniently holding out far enough for him to reach it turned it around to face the other two " these are summoning scrolls…this one in particular…Kitsuii…The Healing slug. Tsunade freaked out around this part and started throwing a tantrum that even getting older hadn't improved much "why do **I** have to get the SLUG? _EEEEEEWWWW! "_

Sarutobi shot her a look that made her shut up immediately "you are a healer…it is appropriate and you should be honored…she is a fine partner."

He turned "as for you two".

He pointed at Jiraiya as he tossed the scroll back to a still silently seething Tsunade "You as a family right will have Gamabunta…the leader of the frogs and a master of the sword" It took Jiraiya a moment to scratch his head but then he shrugged content with the bit about the sword.

After a few minutes Sarutobi's eyes rested once again on Orochimaru… "You…are another case indeed" Orochimaru's head snapped up and his eyes bored into Sarutobi's "what?" he hissed "there is something WRONG with me? Something wrong with the scroll that I should know about Sssensei?" he slurred.

Sarutobi was slightly taken aback by the sudden display of bitterness from his apprentice. "N-no…I figured that you should be the one to hold Mando…the most unpredictable of Snakes…" that got everyone's attention. Snakes…Orochimaru…the village…it made sense, and somehow it was just way to perfect…it was creepy.

Orochimaru was quiet for a few long moments before a dark sneer curled upon his lips "I see…well that sounds like fun" he chuckled and stood holding the purple scroll in front of his face his eyes brighter than before, much brighter.

"Now sensei…how does it work?" his voice shivered, his pale skin squeezed crystal beads of sweat at his enthusiasm…something was driving him again.

Sarutobi brought his three students to the clearing in front of the great gate, where they had once gathered to go through the survival training, where they had left on their first mission…all of it started here…and now to add to the chapter.

"Ahem" Sarutobi harrumphed in his gravely voice "I am going to teach you how to release these animals…when in dire need they will assist you in any way…long ago these giant beasts roamed the lands, only nine on record ever escaped being sealed into summoning scrolls, as I remember "he mused "they were much too powerful to be sealed OR used, we don't know where they are now, but anyway back to the topic at hand"

"You each have your scroll, and yes it does take quite a bit of learning but if you master it, its usefulness will not be matched" he ordered Orochimaru and the others to open the scrolls " now…here is the tricky part " a hint of sarcasm there " I want you…to take these " he gave them a pointy quill pen each " and stab yourself in the hand…err just hard enough to get enough blood to smear upon the entire breadth of your palm and place your hand on the next blank space upon the scroll, yes that's it…" He watched as they did this, and after a bit he sighed and helped Tsunade do it as she was starting to get a bad case of the whim whams. He put his hands upon his hips "good…now one more thing before we do this.." he smiled as his students wrapped their right hands " sometimes these animals can be huffy and may not come out for you" this got some annoyed looks " they can send out lesser beasts to deal with your problems instead of them which in a fight CAN prove just as well…if its not TOO small of an animal " he chuckled remembering the first time little Yondaime did it and ended up with a pollywog down his shirt.

Tsunade rolled her eyes still slightly annoyed that SHE had gotten a slug, she pouted on the side lines " I would have liked the snake…" she glanced sidelong at Orochimaru who was staring at his scroll in either wonder or the hungry fascination that he had don't since he was 5 years of age.

He moved his lips but he didn't say a word and then slowly as if time had stopped just for that moment he seemed to hear her comment and then one eye dropped and stopped her…she stopped breathing.

Sarutobi immediately noticed her strange behavior and turned "Tsunade?" he whispered and then immediately turned to Orochimaru who was now standing before her his scroll dropped on the ground and his amber eyes ablaze " Itss MINE! " he hissed at her softly and then as he was about to take a step forward Sarutobi's arm shot out and caught the collar of his shirt and stopped him. "Orochimaru!" he growled "I don't want you causing any trouble with those eyes of yours! You are in the middle of a class right now pay attention!"

Sarutobi's hand was shaking…Orochimaru blinked and then looking slowly down at the hand upon his shirt collar he sighed and then shook his head " I'm sorry ssssensei…I have no idea what came over me" his voice was saturated in sarcasm however both Sarutobi nor Tsunade refused to be baited.

Tsunade made doubtfully some angry noises of her own and had started to breathe normally again having been released from the genjitsu of his eyes, "H-hey what's with you nowadays? You haven't been like this for a while!"

Jiraiya who had stayed unusually quiet during this, though his arms were crossed and he fingered some shurikan just in case, you never could tell with him…started speaking.

"Ok ok can we just get over the stress here and finish our exam? Its kind of important you know..." he turned to a thankful Sarutobi.

Tsunade traveled to the _other _side of the area with her scroll and gave her attention to Sarutobi instead of the snake on her team, " yeah that is starting to sound good right about now…lets learn how do summon these things already…its giving me a headache!" she huffed red faced.

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes and looked at his scroll and then coldly at his teacher "yesss lets do this..."

He would show them all…those pompous three who thought they knew him…show them _Weeeellll_…

Sarutobi harrumphed again as he usually did when a storm was quelled

"Ok then, now that our little squabble is over let's start this…you have already paid the blood even though by now it is rather dry…now you will follow my instructions...repeat after me." He raised his hands and in slow made seals…Tiger…Horse…Dragon…Dog…Monkey…Rooster…Sheep…Tiger!

The three catching on immediately followed the steps.

"NOW!" barked Sarutobi "Kai!"

"KAI "

"KAI"

"KAI"

"RELEASE!"

Three little clouds of smoke billowed up from the ground as dark diagrams formed an entry way from where their hands had touched their scrolls.

Sarutobi smiled through the smoke "they are skilled indeed…they succeeded."

As the smoke cleared Jiraiya showed first a very shocked look on his face by instead of a normal frog a large orange spotted toad wearing samurai armor and sporting a small dagger appeared before him. "W-WHAT THE HELL is this you meant?"

Sarutobi snorted

Next Tsunade showed with a stone like complexion, for oozing quite nastily a very plump turquoise slug with spikes rimming its flanks slimed before her.

She blinked at it for a moment and opening her mouth let the world know exactly _HOW_ happy she was "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIEIEEEEEEEEE**! DIS_GUSTING! _**"

Sarutobi chuckled and put his hand over his mouth to stop from laughing "well done…hehehe."

As the smoke finally thinned out Orochimaru stood there the remainder of the smoke swirling around a giant form behind him…overshadowing the rest of the plain in its towering shadow…bright emerald eyes slowly looked down at him, the rest of them…their little animals…and seemed to smile.

The smoke cleared and Orochimaru dropped before a giant purple snake with eyes of hard Jade and fangs of ivory…Mando…he had summoned his great beast on the first try…but in doing so he had spent nearly all his chakra in proving himself better.

Sarutobi and the others froze in the presence of the monster snake before them

Mando the king of the snakes stared back and sneered at the little boy before him

"Is this who summoned me…? This little brat, Hah not possible!" he turned his huge head towards Sarutobi who glared back seemingly not so afraid of him as the others "YOU did it didn't you...bastard ill eat you…"he opened his mouth when a sound reached him…a small sound but one that he would recognize almost as one of his kind "I did…summon you…I am…" Orochimaru struggled and raised his head his eyes meeting with the amused ones of Mando "YOUR MASTER!"

Tsunade and Jiraiya both frightened by the appearance of such a monster stood in a defensive position with their animals and Sarutobi, Tsunade was wide eyed now feeling a HELL of a lot better about slugs, she hid behind it.

The snake turned from Sarutobi and in a liquid movement that they had seen Orochimaru accomplish more than once the same, it lowered its head to the exhausted form of Orochimaru, their eyes still locked they seemed to be doing battle with each other in their minds…Sarutobi dared not move for snakes were prone…especially this one…to attack anything that moved or gave out chakra…it fed upon it…fear, He just hoped that the others weren't as afraid…Orochimaru was something else indeed…to have accomplished bringing out Mando in a situation like this…he just hoped he could reverse it somehow so he could send him back…but meanwhile he was more worried about Orochimaru for even though he was strange he was still his student and was fighting with a giant snake of great power.

Orochimaru gasped for breath, his lungs hurt, no…that wasn't it…his whole BODY hurt…he had used too much chakra, but this had been what he trained for right? He knew in his mind that he couldn't control this one yet…it looked at him as he had looked at the others in his class when he had first come…like an ant, a small bug to be squashed when he had annoyed the beast enough….he now for one of the first moments in his life…was scared to death…knew what it meant to be instead of predator…prey.

He glared back into the snakes eyes "I-I…" his voice betrayed him, he hissed "I am not afraid of you…Mando-dono…go back…I do not need you."

Mando rose and considered the boy…even though he was frightened he did not grovel…not like the others…he narrowed his eyes "Brat…" he hissed, his eyes glowing, mirrors like his own "use me wisely…at your own rissssk "and then with a lash of his tail cracking a long trench in the ground farther away he vanished as he came, back to wherever they went.

Orochimaru had enough energy to turn his head, his eyes triumphant the mirrors gone again and for all to see, his soul burned with power…he had been better than them…" se-n-sei…I am…a Sannin" he whispered and then with that he fell on to the ground, his cloths soaked in sweat and blood, his hands blackened…he fainted before them a smile on his face for the first time…a true smile.

He was a Sannin now…but with that power…what would he accomplish?


	8. Chapter 8 Deaths Shinobi

Ch.8

Deaths Shinobi

Orochimaru dreamt, of blood, of no reason, of children, a blood gummed knife with marks…tally marks…

He winced in his sleep tossing and turning, a wet cloth on his forehead slipping away as he lashed out at an invisible foe.

Run…running…kill them all…kill to survive… a voice whispered inside of his mind "_if you want to survive...if you want to learn…kill the rest of your friends…" _

Tsunade had checked in when she with Jiraiya and Sarutobi had brought the unconscious Orochimaru in to the hospital…she was the only on who had stayed, strangely enough she had felt responsible for having absentmindedly making him protective of what was his…she hadn't known it would be such a big deal to him…it was her fault. She sighed and then gathering the small purple flowers she had bought for him she started walking down the hall where she was directed only to hear a long painful howl coming from the last room…Orochimaru's room…her eyes widened and she dropped the flowers and broke into a sprint, skidding to a halt and barging into the room where Orochimaru was staring at his bandaged up hands and looking like a scared child…" Orochimaru…? Are you ok? "She slowly crept forward and noticed something…something she hadn't seen before when she had come in…

Drops…on his hands…drops…she looked up and then her mouth opened slightly "Orochimaru…your…crying..."

Hearing her voice break his dream more he shook and looked up at her, wiping his eyes furiously, purple eye shadow staining his cheeks and his bandages making him look just…sad.

"I was not "he hissed…" I had something in my eye…" he looked around and attempted to wipe the rest of the stuff off his face "Tsunade…where am I?"

Then his eyes going wide he violently stood up with no regard of his injuries grabbed the front of her coat in desperation his eyes dark and shadowed "Mando! Where is he?" Tsunade a little shocked rested her hands on his and smiled disarming his venomous look and immediately flipping him skillfully back into his bed much to his surprise at how she could lift him that easily "you sent him back…and then dropped "she crossed her arms and pulled the small stool normally used for the doctors over and sat messily in it "your really had to go and show off didn't you idiot?" Orochimaru made a noise…she took it for laughter "well quit that, you know I'm the one who has to heal most of these so don't push your luck or your on your own Mr.!" and with that she stood and opened the door again "ill get you something to eat…Meanwhile" she gave him a good glare back to match his own pouty one as he sat in bed "stay there.."

The door shut and he was alone again…"

"Stay huh...don't order me around" he looked at his hands now purple and sighed brushing back his messy black hair which was lank now due to his loss of so much chakra " that same dream again…" he frowned his hands clenching reminding him that he was still there with sweet pain. " Well" he murmured " at least Tsunade has enough…" he didn't want to say heart…no one had cared for him his entire life…he frowned " enough responsibility to take care of me…and yes" he narrowed his eyes and then facing the window which was heavily curtained a dark violet…his favorite color he mused " she was wrong though…" he raised his right hand and looked through the burnt fingers as if he could see his dream, only a little while further…and then he clenched his fist " I am on my own already…Tsunade."

"Orochimaru…be happy damnit! I nearly cut my fingers off peeling this damn thing for-…you?" she opened the door to find an empty well made bed with a flower on the pillow…apparently he had picked it up from the hallway.

She stood there for a minute and then her face got red and she punched the wall not wanting to waste the apples, making a large crater in the wall and accomplishing a mess anyways,

"He never listens that little snake…grrrr" she kicked at some invisible person, maybe her team mates foe as well and stomped out of the hospital looking for him whilst shoving badly sliced apple pieces into her mouth at an alarming rate while trying to talk at the same time which ultimately turned out to be rather amusing to people who happened to glimpse her.

" Why that no good M_UNCH_ little **CRUNCH **INGRATE!" she stopped at the ramen shop and asked the old lady who worked there whether she had seen a rather worse for wear Oro scoot by here any time in the past twenty…she shook her head and Tsunade cursed.

Jiraiya who had just gotten back from peeping on the girls bath from the tree's and caught a glimpse of the angry Tsunade stomping around town and pitied the poor man who had incurred her wrath…he sighed " another one for the hospital bed…" he silently hoped she wasn't looking for him…but had noticed a lot of commotion around the place but hadn't paid much attention ( obviously ) " I wonder what's up?" and so went off to follow her, keeping to the tree tops.

Orochimaru jumped from the hospital window and landed on the pavement below which actually wasn't that high of a jump and broke into a labored run, tearing off bandages as he went still quite angry that Tsunade had seen him cry…him. He shook his head and ran not caring if anyone saw him or not just as long as he got to where he was going, then as he reached a shaded place behind a building he nearly fell over as he tried to avoid a man in his path, he skidded to a halt and looked up warily at the person who had stopped before him and then his eyes widened as they met pure white ones…Hyuuga…

The man smiled and then offered his hand, "Are you ok? You really shouldn't be out of-"the man didn't have time to finish for Orochimaru in his mad haste used genjitsu on the man and knocked him unconscious…

He looked around now getting back to the reality of what he had done and slung the man over his shoulder and continued to his home where he locked the door and stuffed the Hyuuga in a corner and then sitting upon his bed he stared at the unconscious form of the man before him and felt no shred of guilt for doing that to him…he was already forming ideas of what to say or what do to him…to do to him.

Orochimaru had been staring at the man for at least ten minutes before his hunger for knowledge finally caught up with him and he rose from the floor his eyes shadowed as he tried to reason in his mind what was right.

"_Answers you have wanted for a long time are there before you…Take Them!" _his heart hissed at him causing a new wave of hunger to wash over him…the hunger for knowledge had always been great for him… "No" his mind whispered lightly to him "think of the consequences…that poor man didn't do anything but bump in to you…what would your team think of you?"

He wrestled with his emotions and then shook his head and looked at the man who was groggily trying to come back to consciousness. As the man looked up he saw the boy he had bumped in to reach for him and frown whispering to him lightly "they won't ever know…" then darkness.

Even though he worked on the mans eyes for long hours that night in the basement of his house where no one would find him he was frustrated and later disposed of the body within his furnace…he had had the misfortune of his subject being from the branch family so that when they died their secrets would not ever be revealed…a pity, he had so wanted to know what those ivory eyes of theirs did…he would find out eventually but now he had the rest of the night to find a good explanation to what had happened to poor Mr. Hyuuga if they ever found out. Lucky for him…he was good at keeping secrets.

Tsunade had finally given up and gone home after she couldn't find her team mate however she DID find one particularly annoying stalker of whom she beat black and blue and sent him home to his father.

"Hmnf! Stupid pervert…to think that he was spying on ME this time.." she glared daggers down at the apartments where she knew he was tossing in pain…" gooooood" she purred and then laid back in her bed "though I wonder…where Orochimaru could have gone in his condition "she sighed again noticing she had been at it a lot more since Orochimaru had been around…." Eh…that guy gives me a headache "she grunted and turned out the light "ill find him tomorrow."

The next morning the sun hid itself behind a cover of grey in shame…everyone knew something was up… people and animals weren't acting right and to make matters worse a member of the Hyuuga clan hadn't returned home that night and had disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

Sarutobi had awoken early that morning and was off with search parties for the ill fated Hyuuga, there were so many things that could have happened to him…

And then of course, he sighed "my idiot apprentice…he left the hospital to early…I guess he doesn't like them, ill have a chat with him later" he promised himself and then went on another search party near the Uchiha clan.

Jiraiya hadn't cared to even get out of bed early this morning while Tsunade felt so uneasy about the new happenings that she actually donned her scouting outfit that she wore on missions which of all her clothing was the least um…revealing, that suited her today…she would have to talk to Orochimaru later because she wanted to help with the search, for as the report came to her she realized that it was the same Hyuuga who's daughter she had cured of a broken leg before.

She joined a search party bound for the outskirts of Konoha and prayed for the man.

Sarutobi had finished the search with no luck, he hadn't been found after so many hours…was he taken outside of Konoha? He didn't know …he sighed and sat down feeling as if his age was catching up to him when he needed it less " mmm, I saw Tsunade go off and Jiraiya got up to investigate the Hyuuga clan but…he looked down at his clenched hands " Orochimaru…YOU didn't show up."

He stood up and then excusing himself from the search party went on his way to where he had situated Orochimaru's house on the hill overlooking the main square where the ramen shop stood along with his tower…he knew that the boy was probably exhausted from what had happened to him not a day ago but he wanted to make sure he was ok in these dire times…and also, to quell the uneasy feeling he had in himself…he had to go see the boy.

As he walked up the path that led to Orochimaru's house he heard a crash which indeed hastened his pace a little and knocked on the door at which time the crashing immediately stopped followed by a long sigh and the clicking of the lock and the creak of the door opening which opened to show a very messy room and an even messier Orochimaru who stood looking like death himself, dark rings under his eyes marked no sleep, rolls of bloody bandages heaped upon the floor behind him…and something that worried him most…blood covering his hands to nearly his elbows…

"Orochimaru…" he started rather awkwardly which was rewarded by a tired smile "excuse the mess Sensei…I was just removing my bandages and they hurt a lot…I'm not a lover of pain you see?" Sarutobi blinked at the boy, that had been a question, not a statement…how curious.

Sarutobi grunted "oh…well I can help you with that, anyway can I have a word with you for a moment?" he was immediately startled when the boy shot him a strange look of which he didn't understand the meaning, Orochimaru turned

" indeed…" he whispered " come in…you can help me…but first I need to wipe…my…blood off my hands " he smiled over his shoulder " its creeping me out a bit if you know what I mean…"

He went into what served as his kitchen and washed up, the blood running in deep red rivulets down the drain.

Sarutobi grimaced. "I hope you are feeling well?" he looked at the bandages around the room and then back at Orochimaru, it was true that those bandages came from him for he had had it hard with mando and in the process had to be hooked up to various equipment and jitsu's to heal enough to move…but the blood on his hands…it was all dried…leading him to a gruesome thought…it wasn't his own blood.

Then as the boy came back in with a small tray of tea and a towel to dry off his hands he sat down in a chair and motioned Sarutobi to do the same "Yes…I wasn't feeling so great this morning for the pain kept me awake…and I KNOW "he rolled his eyes catching Sarutobi's frown "that I should have stayed in the hospital but I don't like the air there…" then taking a sip of his tea he set it down again. "I'm feeling much better now though..." his eyes gleamed "much better.., oh and ive heard the news…someone from the Hyuuga clan they say? Are search parties still in progress? I can join one and help you search "he said in utter honesty. Sarutobi studied the young man and banished his thoughts of before…never...even Orochimaru who hated so many, couldn't have done it.

Weeks after that three more people went missing, all from different clans…there was no link to whom ever was doing it, no clue to how the person was taking them and no clue to what the person was doing with them.

It was chaos everywhere and really no one cared to go outside anymore, Jiraiya and Tsunade were rarely seen in their own households because they were so busy while Orochimaru had suddenly gotten very sick, some said poisoning for the person had now locked on him as a prime target…others such as Sarutobi disagreed…as much as he hated to admit it he was starting not to trust Orochimaru a little…the boy could have done it…but for what purpose? Gathering people he didn't even know and having them vanish without a trace…obviously killed…he denied the thoughts for occasionally Orochimaru would protest about being sick at all and go and help in the searches for the missing people which all turned up empty in the end.

He had just come back to the village after being assisted off the field for bursting into a fit of coughing, totally fake of course courtesy of the nice ventriloquism skills he had acquired over the years. Orochimaru walked the streets of Konoha and looked boredly over the meager goods that venders sold on the streets and then something caught his eye which he had not noticed before…on the corner of a rickety old jewelry stand a pair of blue seed earrings shone in the dim sunlight… " these " he thought as he picked them up and studied them in contrast to his pale skin…" would look good on me " he looked up at the old woman who was nearly asleep in her chair and smiling at him " you want those son?" she crooned at him causing him to shudder uncomfortably " yes…how much?" he questioned lightly, the old woman shrugged her thin shoulders and waved her hand at him " take them…all they seem to do is bring bad luck to this store, and anyway they'll look better on you n' me."

He watched the old woman fall asleep before him and then he looked down at the earrings in his right hand and smiled thinly "you have my thanks…mother "

He chuckled a little at his own joke and then finding the right places in his ears he jabbed the points in to his flesh and capped the earring backs behind them, little red droplets now falling from them…" beautiful "he sighed and then yawning he walked home feeling that he was slightly hungry after all that he had done yet far…

He smiled

He was closer to his dream of knowing all the jitsu in the world…closer to immortality…he could taste it…feel it crawl inside his strange skin…slither there

Just as long as no one found out he would be fine…who would suspect that him…a Sannin…would have become deaths Shinobi.

Wow that was slightly strange to write . 

This chapter was slightly shorter than the rest but it covered a lot of time Oo

But hey, Orochimaru's just all fun that way! Psycho people are fun to write about…do you find that funny? XD I think I'm having a little too much fun with this… Oh o I want to thank you all for reading my story, and remember reviews even bad ones and most definitely good ones inspire me to write more!

Thank you and enjoy! Badger ye later!


	9. Chapter 9 Hunger

Ch.9

Hunger

Orochimaru hadn't been seen out of his house in quite a while and it was reported that his 'condition' had gotten worse…people worried…he laughed.

Knives and various other surgical objects were strewn around his 'lab' which was built under his house originally for storing supplies such as food and things from his past…it now stored the bodies and parts of his unfortunate victims.

He looked up from his work on a small child who he had snatched from just outside the school where he had once learned, this child had apparently been the most knowledgeable in his class…that knowledge was his now.

He wiped his forehead with a bloody hand and set down his scalpel and looked around at the various jars lining the walls, each containing something different and placed properly on their shelves, he really didn't mind that the basement under his house was damp…for it actually branched off from the sewer system bellow Konoha… "What an evil place for a lair" he laughed to himself… "Hah…I crack me up."

In Konoha tension among people had risen and the number of people missing still rose in count…Sarutobi even resorted to the summoning of ANBU for it also seemed that even some of _their_ members had gone missing the exact same way. The Leader of the ANBU stood before him refusing to relax in these times and stand instead "Sarutobi…have you any idea who could be doing this? We have received word that people have been acting strangely lately…even one of our own has fallen ill and yet still refuses to get medical help…does this not strike you as _odd?_" Sarutobi looked up under the brim of his hat which he had felt better wearing for the time… "Takeda…you can't be serious…I have known…YOU have known him since he was a boy as well."

The man called Takeda sighed behind his bird like mask "I know…"

Sarutobi walked out of his office after remembering to send Yondaime out to his mother for it wasn't safe even here…Now after talking at length with Takeda he was forced to agree to having two ANBU escorts with him at all times…even when he went out on visits to see how Tsunade and Jiraiya were doing for after all they had grown older not only in body as this whole thing was proceeding but in mind…they had grown up too quickly for his likening…

The worst case involving a mission in which all three of the Sannin had gone, Tsunade…had lost her little brother and a man she had cared deeply for…he knew it must have been harder than anything but instead of completely breaking down as he thought she would her resolve just hardened and she became closed off to almost everyone around her…trouble only followed. He sighed and looked up at the sky; filling up his pipe with sweet herbs and taking a long drag on it as if in thought and blowing out a cloud of soft smoke…

"Untouchable…" he muttered getting a strange look from one of the two ANBU beside him "This person…must be stopped" then without a second thought shifted his pipe to the side of his mouth and started running slightly surprising his escorts with his speed, he would find out who was behind this…

He had heard that Jiraiya had come back earlier this afternoon from a mission and he went to visit him, Jiraiya over the time as he said had gotten older and now looked a lot older than twenty years of age…Jiraiya was slightly alarmed at the sight of the ANBU but after a few minutes of explaining he let Sarutobi and the two into his house and made some tea.

"So" Jiraiya gruffed obviously still surprised by the visit of his sensei who he knew must be an incredibly busy man himself "Is their something wrong? Another mission...is…" he looked down at the steaming cups of green tea, seeing his sad expression reflected back at him "is Tsunade alright?" Sarutobi looked up at him as he set the tray of tea on the heated table in the middle of the sitting room, it was true…Jiraiya hadn't seen her since that mission with all of them…Sarutobi smiled lightly " yes…she's fine…it took her a while but she's doing fine."

"Oh.." he smiled and saw a little blonde head poke his head from the corner…hey squirt come in here, I'm not gonna call you the fourth yet cause your just a candidate but you don't have to spy on us.

Sarutobi blinked and then burst in to laughter "I didn't even see you there young one…geez Jiraiya what HAVE you been teaching him?"

The now thirteen year old Yondaime came out and poked out his tongue at Jiraiya "yeah? And just because you're older doesn't mean I'm gonna call you 'Sensei'! "He laughed and Sarutobi watched them argue…It's nice that someone can still laugh around here, he thought…it is a comforting sound.

He looked seriously at Yondaime and Jiraiya, most especially at Jiraiya

"I'm trying to track down this person who has suddenly become the complete bane of Konoha…everything is in chaos because of this one person and I need to find out who it is…I may need your help but then again…" he looked over at the serious faced Yondaime who was trying to ask about the safety of the other two in his team, Jirobu and Ida…ah the other two that Jiraiya was training…he looked back at Jiraiya trying to not let himself be distracted " no" he huffed at the strangely silent Jiraiya " you have your own things you need to accomplish…I am the third and as so I have to put an end to this unnecessary killing."

He stood motioning to the two ANBU who had situated themselves near the door, ready at all times…good he would need that kind of determination as well, he turned but right before he did so he gave Jiraiya a stern look followed by a kind smile " take care of them Jiraiya…" Jiraiya nodded knowing who he meant and ruffled the hair of a confused Yondaime. "Hai, Sensei…"

Sarutobi left from Jiraiya's house also in quite a bit of a hurry, the ANBU by now were used to this and so kept up the pace a couple feet behind him keeping their eyes open for anything strange that would tip a clue to the kidnaper or where this person might be hiding out for they didn't know whether this was a woman or a man, and yet even when he knew so very little he was used to doing things like this…no doubt he would find this person. He ran on.

The day got longer and search parties and groups of ANBU swarmed everywhere looking for the missing people and the culprit…still yet to be found.

"Damn" Sarutobi sighed and then shaking his head he called it a day and went of course with his escorts back to the tower and sat in his office, everything was making no sense to him…a person that could vanish with a person at whim must be a ninja of high rank…but whom?...He shrugged his shoulders still kind of stiff from traveling around all day with a pack on his back of supplies for if they by chance found one of the missing ninja and him or her was injured…but they never needed it, extra weight.

He looked down at some scrolls on his desk that had been written and re written many times, crosses indicated peoples names that were missing from Konoha…the list of the residents was a long a cumbersome thing to toil with but it was crucial to the mission if he was to find any link between all of the bodies…he really had wanted to find at least if unfortunately one of their bodies so he could bring it to Tsunade at the medical clinic and find the cause of death which would ultimately lead to the killer…but no luck on this either.

He grouched again and pulled out his pipe, even too tired to stuff it he just chewed on the mouth piece in grinding frustration.

As he was about to check up on the list again he heard something that made him jump out of his chair and immediately draw a weapon…someone was screaming. He closed his eyes as he whipped off the hat that marked him as the Hokage and his long cloak to show that through all this he had been wearing his full battle armor…he reached in a drawer in his desk and swiftly donned the armored hat with the symbol of Konoha on the front and then opening his eyes again he found four ANBU kneeling in a circle around his desk…he nodded at them and they leaped out the balcony window after him to find the cause of the scream.

They ran with great speed but even then the four ANBU that had proceeded out the window after Sarutobi found out just _HOW _fast he could run when provoked…only the shining of the moon made them visible…Sarutobi's forehead protector and four eerie looking animal masks…a bird…a monkey…a dragon and a horse. Sarutobi skidded to a halt where a young woman was shaking in the street; a basket which looked like she had thrown it to protect herself was lying some feet away; violet and yellow primroses littering the stone street…a flower girl. The girl looked up frightened at their sudden approach but then calmed down when she realized she was staring into the face of the third Hokage… "Oh sir! It was horrible!" she exclaimed, tears running down her pretty face and her short red hair bobbing up and down with her shivering.

The four ANBU members spread out and searched around for any suspicious things lurking around and Sarutobi knelt beside the young girl, laying a comforting hand on her thin shoulder and then noticing a shallow gash on her left arm "what happened? Can you tell me Chio?" she looked up, her green eyes surprised that he the Hokage knew her name for she was just a nobody gennin compared… "Y-yes…I was going home and a person" she pointed at a disturbed sewer cover which was a few feet away as well " came out of there and tried to grab me but I threw my flower basket at the person and it dodged it and cut me and then it heard something and ran away…"

Fresh tears started to pour down her rosy cheeks and he patted her head and then stood up looking sternly at the sewer cover as if he was reprimanding it for allowing to be disturbed… "So…" he mumbled, scratching his beard "this is where you were…of all places…"

He alerted the ANBU as he took the girl to her house and then stopped looking again at the sewer cover "Now" he said looking at the ANBU we know this person came out of but didn't know where that person had gone…for Chio had said that it didn't go back into the sewers."

He glared down at it for a while and then turning he ran back to the place he called home, the ANBU scattering around to search the streets to see if the culprit had tried another of the main streets to get away from his pursuers…however as Sarutobi went back he began to get worried…Chio had said that the person had stopped attacking her and ran…could it have heard them coming from THAT far away?...it was absurd but…He shook his head and then with a slight grimace started to form a plan in his mind.

Orochimaru sighed as he climbed easily into a tall tree having been startled out of his capture of the flower girl who as he had noted had a certain talent for growing things that were useful…a talent only shared by the first Hokage…he had almost had her when he had heard the patter of footsteps from the direction of the Hokage's tower…he had cursed and turned tail on the girl…he would most likely never get another chance at her for Sarutobi was clever and would make sure an extra few of those pesky ANBU were at her side.

"No matter" he thought as the wind howled through the streets tousling his long black hair playfully as he did a back flip from the tree he was in and landed easily on the bough of a large ginko tree, sending a shower of yellowish green leaves to the sky. He took a deep breath of the crisp winter night air and turned slowly vanishing into the night…after all… his lips curved into a sharp sneer… "I have work to do."

Chio the flower girl had indeed gone home and sat in her room polishing her forehead protector until it was shiny and clean when she stopped and noticed a bruise under her right eye… "EYES!" she squeaked and dropped the forehead protector "I forgot to tell him that the person had really creepy gold eyes! Eh…"she thought over this for along while and then shrugging went back to her homework muttering something along the lines of "oh it's alright; he'll find him soon anyway."

Jiraiya had left early the next morning with Yondaime, Jirobu and little Ida…something about training farther away from all the mess of the village…Sarutobi sighed… "Our sannin are just too busy for anything else…no matter…" and then he slightly remembered the sick Orochimaru and he shook his head…even though the boy had been sick quite a while he still even after he had told him many times over that he shouldn't, persisted to go on searches for the villain, even though he persisted Sarutobi growled and made him stay saying for reasons unknown that he should stay indoors…

He thought that the strange tingling down his spine whenever he saw the boy meant that something would happen to him soon, such as HE would become the next person that showed up missing just because of his power…it would be a major blow to Konoha ninja if one of the Sannin was similarly disposed of. He just _wouldn't _have it.

Sarutobi got no sleep that night and even watched Jiraiya leave that morning… he had been to restless to sleep, the whole world around him was way to restless, he had been trying to form a plan in his mind of how to catch this person who had run a kidnapping spree for quite a few weeks now…he was tired of not being able to do anything and his anger on this matter warmed him and kept him awake.

He had again talked to Takeda about different plans that sprouted into his mind and when he had a hard time with it he would go out to the roof top and stare at the faces of his teachers, try to consult with them…question them what they would do in his position…they just stared at him…silence, no words were really needed because he knew he needed to figure it out himself.

Now he stood upon the roof and stared not at the first and second but at the blue grey of the sky, his eyes misted in thought and his right hand tugging at his brown beard now streaked over with grey from all the stress no doubt.

He looked down still wearing his battle uniform at the people bellow, if they were shopping they did their business quickly, not wanting to be caught out in the open by the kidnapper or worse…suspected of being the kidnapper…they all stayed in doors. He sighed and then turned and sat upon a bench where two ANBU stood by; he looked up at them…Takeda and Inoe… "Well my friends" he gestured at their masks staring blankly at him "mind removing those…as times are it is sometimes pleasant to see my friends"

The two looked at each other and then shrugged and took off their masks

A middle aged man smiled at him politely scratched at his spiky brown hair, Sarutobi stared at him for a moment remembering how amused he was when he heard a person whispering something about Takeda being his long lost twin for he did indeed look like himself…and then he looked over at the other so not be rude, ah the flower in the dirt of age, Inoe had a pretty face though she was pushing thirty she didn't have the signs of stress that ANBU members usually possessed, she had her long dark purple hair tied up in a pony tail behind her but as pretty as she was her dark green eyes were as stern as stones…

"Sir" Inoe spoke " have you devised a plan to catch this person who is down as you say 'in the filth of Konoha'?" this raised a slight smile to her pink tinged lips and got a chuckle from Takeda " yes" he smiled " I have…

though I have separate missions for you" he lit his pipe and puffed on it for a minute or two, his two friends being quite patient with him until he was done, and when he was he tossed the debris to the wind and turned, his face suddenly changing from 'nice old man' to 'I'm gonna kick someone's ass old man'…

The ANBU were slightly amused and alarmed at the same time and as they were he started to speak telling them the in and outs of the plan which they were to tell the other ANBU of their plan and go through with it…

He stood and turned "we will put this person to the justice of Konoha!" then without a second glance down he stormed inside to begin preparations.


	10. Chapter 10 Immortal Plan

Ch.10

Immortal plan

Orochimaru sighed, his research going quite well under the circumstances of the tightened security around the place…he knew that someone had found some hint to where he was hiding so just as an extra precaution…he littered the sewers with booby traps, which he absolutely loved doing being the genius he was…coming up with clever ways to kill people came easy to him.

He had learned so many things that Sarutobi nor any of the other teachers would have ever taught him…even some that were previously labeled 'forbidden' he concurred, just by his experiments he had learned all of this wonderful knowledge…and as he did…was closer to his dream and to immortality. He looked up and snipped the excess off a line of sharp wire lining the sewer bottom where if someone stepped about a foot from it a large net approximately four feet wide would trap the person and then that would trigger the hidden kunai launch and…well, he smiled " human pincushion" he chuckled and then calmly walked back making sure the other traps were set before he went into his lab and then ascended up the stair well to his house; moving the floor board where he came up and then slinking out replacing it and going immediately to wash up… "Wouldn't want to smell of blood and sewer water now would I? That would be just too easy for them."

He stood in the shower holding his hands up to the shower of hot water loving the feeling on his skin…after all, cold blooded people loved to be warm didn't they, he breathed deeply and after washing his hair with a solution he had made himself he stepped out, dried himself off and grabbing his Chuunin vest and a simple black outfit and his comfy black sandals to match he got dressed and as he did so sneered…his plan was almost complete…nobody had found out.

He rolled his amber eyes as he donned his vest over the outfit and buttoned it up "fools that they are…there's a snaaaake in the grass" he sang softly and then leaving his washroom he went outside, belting his weapon pouch to his waist… "you never know.." he whispered " someone might try and KIDNAP me " he got a laugh out of that one as well and he made his way down to the main square to go visit and see how Konoha was doing.

He had just gotten down to the ramen shop and suddenly out of all the gloom of the area spotted a rainbow of color…the flower shop… "How nice" he purred as he put his hand to the pouch around his waist after spotting a bobbing red head behind the bouquets of flowers as well… "I think ill go and take home a flower or two" he shrugged and walked over slowly.

Chio was helping her mother with a few bouquets of roses and sweet peas when she noticed the man walk up, at least it was only till he got to the front that she noticed that he was indeed a man but, she smiled slightly ashamed of herself as she noticed that this wasn't just any girly man…it was Orochimaru, one of the three Sannin…she dropped the bouquets in a bucket of water and then wiped her white apron off "H-hello" she stammered a bit surprised that he would want flowers at a time like this " is there anyway I could help you sir?"

Orochimaru looked down at the little girl and his right hand rummaged around in his weapon pouch as his lips curved into a sweet smile "yes" his voice slipped into her ears, something he had done to Tsunade long ago, he brought out a few coins from his pouch and pressed them in her soft little hands " I would like those" his eyes a bit shaded from his still damp hair and forced her to follow them to a small bouquet of little purple white fort nine lilies in the far corner of the store " is that ok?" he purred standing back up fully and letting go of the girl he had tried to capture before noticing that there were two ANBU entering the store as well, he turned his head slightly to get a better view his blue earrings making a little jingling sound.

Glancing over at the two they suddenly realized who he was and looking at each other bowed their heads in respect, he watched this with amusement "what complete Idioooots" he sang in his head. He again looked over at the girl who had shaken her head a little and ran to get the flowers for him and then turned to the closet ANBU member to him and pulled a disarming smile and nodded his head as well as if he knew the person behind the monkey like mask " well its good to see that you are keeping everything safe here…I'm glad…I too came to see" he glanced down at the girl who was holding up his flowers and nodded, taking them and smelling them as if they had any aroma " if this girl was alright, seeing as she was, as rumors go nearly kidnapped.-"

The other ANBU flinched a little and adjusted his wolf like mask, they had almost made sure that that information didn't get out in to the public of Konoha…how did the Sannin even WITH all of in intelligence hear of this when he was reputed to be so ill he very rarely ventured out of his house.

Orochimaru noticing this turned fully around to face this ANBU, brushing back his long damp bangs and boring into the mask with his burning amber eyes…snake eyes, the man thought as the slit like pupils of the Sannin's eyes seemed to encompass and devour him and all he knew just by looking at him, he seemed to know what he was thinking because he shrugged and released the now shaking man from his gaze and turning on his heel.

" Well I need to go and see my dear friends for I also got news of Tsunade returning from her recent mission…how nice…and what a coincidence…she happens to like flowers."

He sighed as he walked the air a lot colder than he remembered it for it now gave him a slight chill…he looked back along the long street that he had to walk to get to the hospital and his eyes went blank as he shrunk inside his mind again… "this would" he thought " probably be the last time that I ever walk down this street…the last time that I will go and see the only person who seemed to look at me differently over the years…" he blinked again noticing that he had nearly walked past it and then casually putting the flowers over his shoulder he walked past the front desk where the nurses attending it quailed at his presence, walked past all of the rooms filled with the sick and dying until he caught a flash of blonde…Tsunade.

He stood at the door way in silence for a minute, Tsunade was seated on the stool normally used for doctors still in her Chuunin vest and covered in bandages from her previous missions…the boy who had been in the bed previously had long been buried but still she remained here, he sighed getting her to move her head and turn her haunted brown eyes on him "O-Orochimaru.." she mumbled and raised her head rubbing her eyes, she had been crying.

He smiled kindly to her, one of his random generous ones that actually meant something as he sat on the metal bar lining the bed then handed the flowers to her "These are for you…I realize you have had it hard Tsunade, and I know I've been rather mean of late but you wont have to deal with that much longer"

Tsunade took the flowers and held them carefully to her chest as if they would save her from the torment this last month had put on her…no…on Everyone's soul, she looked up at him again though strangely.

"What did you mean by that last part? Are you going somewhere?" He looked down at her for a few minutes and then shrugged "who knows?" he whispered…

"But Tsunade…" he glanced over his shoulder at her, his eyes normally bright, shaded and tinged with emotion, but only a little "fulfill your dreams…even if you must do horrible things to achieve them." Then leaving her with much to think about he vanished down the stair well. Tsunade hugged the flowers close to her again and breathed on them, the crisp white and purple of the lilies had already started to become dull… "Sometimes" she murmured to herself as she got up and went to put the flowers in some water "he scares scare's me."

He took his time looking over the place that had been his home since he had been five years old…had he ever called it home? He wondered sometimes. He brushed back his long hair and walked past all his favorite places he had gone to when he was younger…he was tired of it…

He knew he wouldn't get to see Jiraiya before he left, he had already gone and left Konoha to go and train with those little brats he called students, he snorted a little as he passed the school and almost the exact tree he had eaten lunch in so many times…all precious memories…he stuffed them in the back of his mind, "he would find a trash can for them later" he told himself.

He walked faster passing places much like that tree, the ramen shop, the alley where he had taken the Hyuuga, the training ground behind the Hokage's tower…all places he had known for a long long time…and as he had thought before…all of it just tired him.

Then as he stood in front of the Hokage's tower an odd feeling shivered down his skin and he blinked and looked around finding almost instantly the reason for it…the small boy who had been so cryptic to him last time they met, Uchiha Itachi…he had grown since he had last seen him but still wore the same cold expression on his face…he looked and then frowned a little, his eyes were black.

Itachi looked up at the Sannin called Orochimaru and walked forward until he was only a few feet from himself " are you feeling well sir?" he murmured, causing a slight smile to come to Orochimaru's lips " indeed"

He looked up at the dusty blue sky and then put a hand to his lips " so…where is that man that was with you at the shack?" this caused Itachi to narrow his eyes a little " who do you mean?" he asked calmly. Orochimaru sighed and one of his golden eyes slid down and looked at the boy bellow him "you know who I mean…the owner of that cloak I saw you with…I know it wasn't yours"

Uchiha Itachi flinched for one of the first times in his life thus far and then turned his head from Orochimaru's gaze " he only came to ask me a few questions…that's all…and" he looked up at Orochimaru again his eyes not that amusing shade of burgundy " its nothing you need to poke your nose in to."

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow and then slowly shrugged his shoulders and stepped past the child who he knew was seemingly a lot like himself when he had been that age, this boy had a thirst for power…he would go to those people eventually but for now…it was his turn.

He left Itachi alone on the street and returned to what he had been thinking of before hand, he needed to see Sarutobi of course…but not yet, no he had some things to do at his house first to get ready…he knew he couldn't well just get up and _leave _Konoha as much as he would like that…no, he would still figure out a way to do this but in the meantime…he rummaged in one pocket and brought out a nifty little sharp tool he had picked off one of the hospital carts on his way to see Tsunade… "This could come in handy" he hissed and then putting it back in his pocket made his way towards who knew where.

"Orochimaru" Orochimaru stopped at his name being spoken from directly behind him and he sighed deeply and glanced to his right "Hello Sensei…" Sarutobi, yes still in his battle armor stood behind him, one of the only people that would be able to sneak up on _him_ and get away with it.

Orochimaru turned around and looked at the old man who looked very tired, loss of sleep probably...though he wouldn't put it behind him if it turned out to be loss of sanity that put those dark rings under his teachers eyes " you don't look so well Sarutobi…you should get some rest"

This put a light smile of Sarutobi's lips "ahh…but are YOU feeling any better Orochimaru? You look healthy enough and I had heard that you went to visit Tsunade…is he doing well?"

Orochimaru shrugged, his earrings jingling with his motion " she seemed fine to me…only tired " he said, eyeing Sarutobi " everyone is so uptight, even I know that the best of ninja cannot operate too well under nights of no sleep…Sarutobi sensei…"

The man who had been his teacher for many years of his life chuckled "yes…you were always smart at recognizing things weren't you? A genius Orochimaru"

Orochimaru looked slightly taken aback at the compliment, for Sarutobi had never actually voiced anything like this to him at all "w-what?" he stammered lightly "Orochimaru " Sarutobi smiled " even though other people may not see it you have a good heart and I had planned on your succession to me as Hokage someday…Orochimaru stared at Sarutobi for a minute, a memory of him as a boy coming way to vividly to his mind…biting at him, the day he had demanded to become Hokage… "Heh…no, I'm sure you have others who are capable sensei…I am not able to become Hokage.

Sarutobi looked calmly at his student and then shook his head "you were always like that…no its ok…oh and by the way Orochimaru…keep watch on Konoha for a while, I know you are capable of doing _that_ at least right?" he smiled, totally trusting him with such a thing…Orochimaru responded back with a mirrored smile, one of his cold eerie ones "yes Sensei…ill keep everything ok…but why? Are you going somewhere?"

Sarutobi looked at him and at the same time Orochimaru realized that there were at least six to eight ANBU surrounding the area "yes" he chuckled "I am indeed going somewhere, but where exactly well that's a secret"

Orochimaru blinked at him as the old man walked off back to his tower mumbling something about a plan.

As soon as he was alone he hissed loudly at his teachers back

"Damn you and your sneakiness…" and on that note he turned on this heel and sped back to his house ignoring his mission, he had better things to do.

Orochimaru didn't think any more of anybody in Konoha after he had gotten home and went to work once again, having disposed of all the previous bodies he had caught earlier that week and scribbling down all of the things he found on a dirty scroll sprawled across a sturdy wooden table already littered with jars filled with vicious liquid and other things and other scrolls already tied up and labeled along with the main thing taking up the table, a coffin.

Orochimaru had finally acquired one of those pesky Hyuuga members who came from the head family…though it had been slightly annoying to have to go there, dig up the coffin and then make it look like one of the branch family had done it…though it was interesting to watch how the man was executed he had gone quickly to examine the body of the little girl who had died from a fever. He had already extracted her eyes so that now her empty eye sockets stared accusingly at him…he grimaced thinking how much easier it would be if he had just left the eyes in her little head…well now he figured out what they did and he was writing furiously with one hand as he slowly slit her heart open to check all of the chakra ties that he had learned were much different in the Hyuuga than the other clan families around Konoha…he sneered and continued his work until he heard a rather alarming noise….the spring of twine wire and hiss of kunai in the far end of the tunnel…someone had entered the sewer system. He stopped his work for a minute to listen and then when he heard nothing he went back to his work which would lead him to his final technique to be had in Konoha.

Sarutobi had already sprung in to immediate action, his plan though very basic would have to work…he had taken six ANBU to accompany him in the capture of this dangerous person…one had gone down before him and had yet to come up…two minutes passed… "too long" he muttered to the rest and then leaped down through the man hole and landed ankle deep in the slimy water and stepping from the light beaming down from above immediately found why the first one hadn't come back…a trap, and indeed the poor man did resemble a pincushion for at least fifty kunai stuck from his hanging corpse…he flinched backward and then motioning with one hand the other five ANBU dropped down lightly from above looking to him for instructions.

He growled knowing for a matter a fact that there were probably more traps like the one which had killed Tomori the first ANBU who had gone before them…he turned on the group and then picking out two of the members ordered them to stay behind him and then told the remaining three to run forward and check for traps…after a few minutes had gone past he ran forward already sweating from the tension …something bad had happened and he needed to get this over with quickly for even the air buzzed with evil that could not be sated.

As he ran forward the trails of his hat whipping about behind him he noticed that there were no more traps in this area…but then neither were there living ANBU either he noted as he ran past their corpses not wanting to look at the horrible things that the clever traps had rendered into their bodies…and then there he saw it…a small door at the end of the corner, he didn't know where under Konoha this was but he knew that the evil he sensed radiated from behind that door.

Sarutobi wiped the sweat from his brow and turned only slightly to the two behind him, he didn't need to speak words…they knew, they were going in.

Sarutobi went first ducking at the gleam of a trip wire near his head and throwing a kunai into a hole on the far left to his head plugging the trap that would have severed his head from his body had he been stupid enough to walk directly into it…as he got up he sliced the wire with the tips of his fingers and appearing at the entrance to the door the two ANBU appeared on the sides of the door…he listened and heard the soft sound of metal clinking together and dry paper…the person was there…they had them!

Sarutobi slowly took hold of the door knob, it wasn't locked…the person had either expected them or hadn't thought any one would get through all of the traps they had laid… "Either way" he whispered lightly looking down at the door handle which was all taking around the span of twenty seconds "he would have them!"

Then without another look or thought he opened the door quickly and walked in drawing a weapon and standing in a defensive position along with the other two who had took up the same position each about a foot away from him and then as his eyes adjusted to the gloom in the small room only lit by a single lamp he made out the figure there and mentally choked, betrayed…Orochimaru stood there…Orochimaru who he had known since he was small now stood over a coffin, who now was turning around a evil sneer painted across his white face, his eyes casting another light in the room.

"O-Orochimaru!" he barked, finally finding voice enough to speak.

Orochimaru, a dark look upon his face, looked up from his work to find of all people his Sensei at his door…how quaint. He sighed when he saw the weapon and the two ANBU as well and then licking his lips with his long snaky tongue he gave him a sharp fanged smile followed by his voice now instead of kind and whispering; cold and hissy.

"So I've finally been caught" he turned fully about and then sighed again "how disappointing."

Sarutobi grimaced and then making sure that his voice didn't run away from him again spoke up still holding up his weapon " Orochimaru…what is the meaning of this?"

Orochimaru, his golden eyes sliding from his sensei to the two beside him shrugged "I set up a lot of booby traps you know…but it seems they were bypassed…I was a little surprised but now I see why"

His eyes found Sarutobi again who had to mentally harden himself for he knew too well what those eyes of his were capable of.

Orochimaru spoke again "it was **YOU**" he chuckled, seeming to think of the whole thing as a joke and meanwhile giving Sarutobi time to look quickly at the contents of the room not even having to guess at the contents of the jars shelved around them. Then surprisingly enough one of the two ANBU next to him spoke up "People have started turning up missing lately in the village…Gennins, Chuunins, even ANBU like us." His voice though strong was shaking…Sarutobi didn't blame him.

"A-also" the ANBU whispered "we have received information that you had been acting strange ever since this whole thing started…Sarutobi was the only on who opposed us on this thought thinking that you would never…never" his voice fled from him and he stood silent again. Orochimaru narrowed his eyes and grinned a little wider, "Well now aren't _we_ the smart little ninja?"

Then Sarutobi's eyes slid to the ANBU on the right who started speaking after Orochimaru had laughed at his comrade "Orochimaru-sama…why…why would a great ninja like you do something this cruel?"

Orochimaru's eyes gleamed as his fanged teeth did in the dim light " oh?" he laughed as if it gave him great pleasure to hear that he was a ' great ninja' " should I kill you as well?" The ANBU flinched back and raised his kunai as if he thought it would be a shield against Orochimaru's barbed words.

Sarutobi glared darkly at his student and then hissed back at him "Orochimaru! So you were behind all of this, Spill it! What were you doing here?"

Orochimaru lowered his head a little and then wiping his hands on his pants and setting down the scalpel that had been hidden in his hand he looked through his bangs at Sarutobi as he had done when he had been a child and had done something particularly bad "Heh…well now that I've been caught I guess lying wont get me outta this one now will it?" he hissed and then brushing back his hair looked around, raising one hand "I was developing a new technique" he whispered.

The other ANBU who had been standing silent and shaking spoke up again "Orochi!" he yelled, Orochimaru winced as his child hood nickname came back to haunt him. "THAT'S why you killed your fellow ninja? H-how could you?"

Sarutobi took a step forward his weapon still raised "a forbidden technique eh?" he growled "what were you trying to accomplish Orochimaru?"

Orochimaru widened one eye and narrowed the other "to be the best of course!"

Sarutobi was taken aback by his joyful voice, "so" he thought sadly "this is what you've been after all this time…what a fool I was."

"What?" he inquired after his student making sure that he kept talking; he had to know why…why he would do this?

Orochimaru smiled like he used to after he had asked him what he thought was a stupidly simple question " I want to master all techniques in the world sensei…but I figured out something " he mused lightly " to know and master all existing techniques…Sarutobi, too me, the bodies life span is too short for such a task" he looked up at Sarutobi still staring at him as he had when he had first discovered him " but to do that sensei…I must be-Immortal."

"So" Sarutobi thought sadly, his head hanging a bit lower than before "this is what you were doing…"

Then with no warning he pulled a hidden weapon and licked the tip of an overlong kunai, one he had long ago borrowed from Jiraiya "Konoha entertains me greatly…Sarutobi sensei!"

Sarutobi growling bit his thumb watching as dark blood welled there, seals flew by as his nimble fingers formed them and he reached out grabbing a long black and gold pole at the same time noticing Orochimaru had moved, Sarutobi ground his heel into the dirt floor and watched as Orochimaru raised his hands as well. Sarutobi tried to follow the order of the seals his apprentice formed and then started trying to turn to the ANBU beside him.

He rapped a command and his staff changed form to become Enma, the king of Monkeys…

Enma, his two tails thrashing narrowed his auburn eyes taking in what was happening around… "Sarutobi" he growled as he noticed the man was shaking, fighting within his own self. "Orochimaru…" he muttered "I wanted you truly to succeed me as Hokage…but it seems I will be forced..." he choked slightly "to kill you Orochimaru…" He raised his right hand and Enma looked up his claws in front of him, ready.

Orochimaru stared at him for a minute and then suddenly burst out laughing as he looked at him and then the other two beside him as a predator would look at his prey…bloody hungry.

"Really Sarutobi!" he howled as he raised his hands and began to form seals "can you kill ME?" Sarutobi for a minute didn't know what he was doing but that minute cost him for as he had time to blink and turn Orochimaru was behind him, his technique having instantly killed the two ANBU who had accompanied him down this hell hole, their blood splattering upon his face as he stood, his face going white but still looking calm he looked down, he had seen the old Orochimaru in that maddened face…he couldn't do it…he couldn't kill him.

Enma noticed the change in his master and then still keeping an eye on Orochimaru who stood patient behind Sarutobi as if waiting to see if he actually _would_ kill him "SARUTOBI!" he snarled "Kill him! Kill him now or he'll escape…SARUTOBI!" and even through all his yelling he knew it was pointless…Sarutobi just stood there a blank expression on his blood splattered face. Then without another word Orochimaru left only looking back once at his Sensei, sensei for the last time and then turning on his heel his blue earrings jingling lightly he fled down the sewer tunnel and out.

Enma looked at him helplessly and then without another word slowly vanished leaving Sarutobi to his thoughts.

Sarutobi stood there alone with the bodies of the ANBU his student had killed and then looked down at his hands and shook "I couldn't kill him.." and then he slowly turned around and spotting the stair case climbed up them and removed the wooden planks that led to Orochimaru's own room…such a fool.

Orochimaru ran as fast as he could, he had gathered everything he needed before going into his lab earlier that day…he needed no other trinkets from his past, they meant nothing to him now…as he ran he pushed all memory of Konoha from his mind and running the way that he had come from, running past the lake that bordered Konoha and looking off into the distance…power…he was almost there.

He smiled coyly and then still running started laughing, he had done it…the snake of Konoha with his snake eyes had done exactly what he had come here to do in the first place…cause chaos.

Weeks later Konoha was still recovering, Sarutobi hadn't come out of his room for quite a while, Tsunade had helped with the burials and then abruptly left saying something about 'fulfilling her dreams' and Jiraiya had yet to come back…people though still scared were finally easing back into their old lifestyles…hopefully nothing like this would EVER happen to the village again.

The wind blew through the crags of the mountains around twenty miles west of Konoha, a pebble bounced down one steep slope as a tall figure clad in a billowing black robe with red clouds embroidered upon it suddenly materialized there accompanied by two others wearing the same garb…the symbol of the Aketsuki. Orochimaru looked down from his perch and he could faintly make out the mountain range and lake that marked Konoha, he frowned lightly and raised his right hand to brush his bangs out of his face, a ring sparkling there golden in the bright sun a sign there reading 'hebi' or 'snake'.

He murmured something to the other two and then with one last glance at the place where he had grown up all three vanished into thin air as they had come.

Snake Eyes

:o is it possible? Yes I have finished the last chapter! Yaaaay!

Thank you for all my readers who stuck with me to the end, it really wasn't that long now was it? It wasn't to boring? Of course I never know cause you people never give me reviews pouts you KNOW you wanna tell me what you thought of it:D ah shucks I'm just glad you all read and hopefully enjoyed it

Oro: -- you totally messed me up woman…

Badge: I did? Oops, sorry Oro:P

Oro: give me _ONE_ good reason why I shouldn't just dissect you right now…

Badge: Oo cause your…nice like that? ;D

Oro: comes after her with a scalpel I am not NICE!

Badge: OO _Le_ **EEEEEK! **runs and yells Badger ye LATER! XD

Le Fin


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